Former Spartans Star Facing Biggest Moment of NFL Career
In this story:
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed did not have the 2024 NFL season he was hoping for.
Reed certainly wasn't bad, catching 55 passes for 857 yards and six touchdowns. But it wasn't quite what some expected from the former Michigan State star.
More specifically, Reed was not great during the second half of the year, and he was a relative no-show in some of the Packers' biggest games of the season.
Over Green Bay's final three games of 2024, Reed managed just six catches. In Week 17 against the Minnesota Vikings with the Packers having an opportunity to send a message to their NFC North rivals, Reed logged one grab for six yards.
Going back a bit further, Reed went without a catch on just one target in Green Bay's loss to the Detroit Lions on Dec. 5.
Across Green Bay's last eight contests overall, Reed posted five receptions just once. The other seven times, he finished with three catches or less. He last achieved a 100-yard showing on Nov. 3, and he tallied 50 yards just once after that point.
Perhaps the Packers can do a better job of getting him the ball, but at the same time, you're not going to find any real No. 1 receivers going eight games with pedestrian production. Especially not during the second half of the season when the playoffs are on the line.
Well, Green Bay will be facing the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round on Sunday night, and Reed will have a chance to right himself.
The Eagles have a terrific secondary, so passing on them won't be so simple. But if Reed wants to be the Packers' top gun moving forward, then he has to step up. That's especially with Christian Watson now out due to a torn ACL.
Reed spent three seasons at Michigan State between 2020 and 2022, with his best year coming in 2021 when he hauled in 59 receptions for 1,026 yards and 10 scores.
The Packers selected the 24-year-old in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, and he has definitely gotten off to a great start in his professional career.
But Green Bay needs more from Reed as he prepares for the biggest game of his life.
Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan NationWHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as wellWHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE
Matthew Schmidt is a sportswriter who covers NFL, MLB, NBA and college football and basketball. He has been writing professionally since 2011 and has also worked for Bleacher Report, FanRag Sports, ClutchPoints, NFLAnalysis.net and NBAAnalysis.net. He was born and raised in New Jersey and has a rather eclectic group of favorite teams: the Boston Celtics, New York Giants and Miami Marlins.