Packers Place Promising Starter on Non-Football Injury List

As the Green Bay Packers gear up for training camp, they’ll be doing so without wide receiver Jayden Reed to start practices.

The Packers placed Reed on the non-football injury list, according to the league transaction report. Veteran cornerback Corey Ballentine and backup offensive tackle Caleb Jones were placed on the same list.

However, the bigger concern is Reed’s status after a strong rookie year. Fortunately, SI.com’s Bill Huber reported that the second-year receiver is only expected to miss a few days of practice.

That’s a sigh of relief for Packers fans. If he’s only out a few days, he should have plenty of time to get ready for the team’s preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns on August 10.

Jayden Reed’s Breakout Season

There wasn’t much fanfare as Reed came into the NFL. However, he’s quickly established himself as one of the most electric slot receivers in the league.

Reed was a top weapon for the Michigan State Spartans in college. He was a two-time second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2021 and 2022 before declaring for the NFL Draft.

The Packers took a chance on Reed in the second round of the 2023 draft. He wasn’t the biggest prospect at 5-foot-11 and 187 pounds, but the film showed a competitive and athletic weapon.

It didn’t take long for Reed to have an impact. He scored a pair of touchdowns in Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons, but didn’t slow down throughout the year. In 16 games, Reed caught 64 passes for 793 yards and eight touchdowns. He was a weapon on the ground as well, rushing 11 times for 119 yards and a pair of scores.

The hype isn’t slowing down, either. Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander even compared Reed to a better version of Randall Cobb during offseason workouts.

If that’s how his teammates feel, then Reed could start quickly competing for Pro Bowl consideration in the coming seasons.

Green Bay’s Other Exciting Receivers

The Packers don’t have a true No. 1 receiver on their depth chart, at least right now. That doesn’t seem to bother anyone, including Jordan Love.

Christian Watson looked like a potential No. 1 receiver after a dominant stretch during his rookie season. However, hamstring injuries have derailed all of his progress, and the Packers have sought out specialists to make sure he’s ready to go in 2024. He’s still had 14 total touchdowns in two seasons, so a healthy season could help him reassert himself as Green Bay’s top wideout.

Don’t sleep on Dontayvion Wicks quickly developing into a No. 1 receiver. He was only a fifth-round rookie last season, but caught 44 passes for 674 yards and five touchdowns. The film shows a receiver who can consistently get open with his route-running ability, and more playing time with a year under his belt could help him dominate as he gets more acclimated to the NFL.

Romeo Doubs has been a consistent wideout as well. Even Bo Melton showed flashes at the tail end of the 2023 season. Malik Heath has established himself as a UDFA who has earned playing time.

The best part for Packers fans is that all of these receivers are entering their third or second NFL season. With so many weapons still developing, there’s plenty of reason to be excited about Green Bay’s offense going forward.