After 12 weeks of waiting, the Packers will finally see the 2025 return of wide receiver Jayden Reed. After placing Reed on injured reserve only two weeks into the season, Green Bay has activated him off the injured reserve list. The team waived wide receiver Malik Heath in order to make room for Reed on the 53-man roster. 
Reed still had six days remaining on his 21-day practice window, but an early activation is a huge indicator that the 25-year-old pass catcher will be playing tomorrow afternoon against the Bears. It was a broken collarbone that sidelined the third-year receiver in Week 2, but the team utilized the extended absence to address another issue Reed had been dealing with. With clavicle surgery already on the books, Reed also underwent a foot operation for a Jones fracture he had been attempting to play through coming into the season.
It turned out to be a great move as reports came out about a month ago that Reed’s foot issues had been fully healed. There was no action bringing him back to practice just yet, since his clavicle still had some healing to do. It wouldn’t be until about two weeks ago that the Packers would designate Reed to return, and here he comes, just in time for Week 14.
The Packers’ young receiving corps mostly came in together, with Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs getting drafted in 2022 and Reed and Dontayvion Wicks hearing their names called the next year. Quarterback Jordan Love has done a great job of spreading the ball around to the talented quartet over the last three seasons, but Reed has proven to be a top target in the Green Bay offense.
As a rookie, Reed led the team in receptions (64) and receiving yards (793) and tied with Doubs for the team-lead in receiving touchdowns (8). He certainly benefitted from the absence of Watson for eight games that season, but where Watson might’ve had him on scores (five in nine games), Reed averaged more yards per game over the course of the season. Watson missed two games in Reed’s second season, giving Reed the team-lead in receptions (55) and receiving yards (857) once again, but Reed’s six touchdowns were second on the team behind Watson as the two established themselves as WR1a and WR1b in the Packers offense.
This season, injuries have permeated throughout the receivers room; Doubs is the only wideout to have played in all 12 games thus far. Watson missed the first seven weeks of the season, Wicks missed two games just as Watson returned, and even first-round rookie Matthew Golden has struggled to stay on the field as of late. Doubs perfect attendance has helped him to be the No. 1 target for Love this year as he and tight end Tucker Kraft have kept the passing game afloat.
Watson has been a huge factor since returning from injury, and Reed may still add more on to that. An extremely challenging upcoming four-game stretch that sees the Packers faceoff against the division-leading Bears twice, in addition to the Broncos and Ravens, makes Reed’s timing all the more clutch. Love is looking to have a near full arsenal to throw to as the team attempts to chip away at Chicago’s hold on the NFC North.