The Past and Present of Jordan Reed's NFL Career
On Monday, the 49ers agreed to a one-year contract with tight end Jordan Reed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
All signs point toward George Kittle not holding out despite wanting a long-term contract extension. But if Kittle were to have a change of heart prior to the regular season, the 49ers now have another player in Reed who could fill his shoes during the absence.
So what kind of player has Reed been in past years and what kind of player can he be moving forward?
Past:
When healthy, Reed was a top-notch pass-catcher in the early stages of his NFL career. His issues stem from not being available, caused by various injuries that have derailed the better part of his career.
Since Reed made his NFL debut in 2013, he has had 17 notable injuries, according to the Sports Injury Predictor's report.
Another intriguing aspect of why signing the veteran tight end makes sense for the 49ers is he and head coach Kyle Shanahan already have experience working with each other, dating back to 2013, when Shanahan was the offensive coordinator in Washington.
In 2015, Reed posted the best season of his career, recording 87 receptions, 952 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. The following offseason, he was rewarded in May of 2016 with a five-year contract extension, worth $50 million, including $22 million guaranteed with the Washington Football team.
Reed had become the fastest tight end in NFL history to eclipse 200 career receptions. He followed his virtuoustic start in the NFL with a 2016 Pro Bowl nod, and then ranked 65th overall on the NFL's Top 100 Players in 2017.
Present:
Most recently, Reed has not played in a game since 2018, when he started eight games and appeared in 13 total.
Reed's best season is likely behind him, but his role with the 49ers could suggest he still has value as a team's No.2 tight end.
If he's going to revitalize his career after a rough few seasons in which he's barely played, teaming up with the 49ers coaching staff and offensive personnel isn't the worst landing spot. The 49ers have been looking for a counterpart to pair with Kittle throughout the offseason as they've done their due diligence on Austin Hooper during the early stages of free agency and kicked the tires on a potential Delanie Walker reunion.
Clearly the 49ers have a vision of using more two-tight end sets, and that's where Reed is likely to add value.
"I know he hasn't been on the field for a little bit," Shanahan told reporters on Monday. "I know he's very hungry to play football. He hasn't gotten to do much of that lately. When you have a talented guy who is hungry to play football, it works out if they can stay healthy. Jordan's had some bad luck over the years. I know he's ready to go. I hope he has some good luck here. If he does, I think it's going to be a hell of a deal for the Niners, and a really good deal for him also."
Reed's concussion history has been well-documented, but if he finds a way to flip the script and end on the right side of the injury report, he and Kittle can become one of the better tight end duos in the NFL.
Reed's a big question moving forward, but when healthy, everyone can confirm his superior playing ability causes havoc for opposing defenses.
