Washington Redskins Player Profile 2016: TE Jordan Reed
Jordan Reed had a breakout season for the Washington Redskins in 2015. Can he duplicate his success in 2016?
In terms of pure talent, there are not many tight ends who are more talented than Jordan Reed. Reed, a fourth year player out of the University of Florida, enjoyed a breakout season last year and solidified himself as a top five tight end in the league. He is now in the same class as Delanie Walker and Greg Olsen, who are just a notch below Rob Gronkowski. The question for Reed going into the 2016 season will be: can he continue to perform up to that level?
Reed should definitely be able to continue to be a high caliber player. The 26-year-old set career highs in receptions (87), yards (952), and touchdowns (11) during his third season. More importantly, he was finally able to stay healthy, playing in 15 of a possible 17 games during the regular season and playoffs. He developed a strong rapport with Kirk Cousins and the two should continue to be a dynamic duo heading into 2016.
It also will help Reed’s cause that he is working with a very strong receiving corps around him. Because of the presence of DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon, and Jamison Crowder, opposing defenses will not be able to focus solely on Reed. They will have to plan matchups accordingly, and that could give Reed an advantage.
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Also helping out is the acquisition of Vernon Davis. Davis, an NFL veteran with great speed and pass catching skills, has looked great in the preseason and he should help take some pressure off of Reed in the passing game. With all of that said, it is looking like Reed could be in for another big season.
However, the Redskins still have to be worried about one major issue with Reed. That is his injury issues. Over his NFL career, Reed has missed 14 out of a possible 49 games including playoff games. Last season was his first season of being almost fully healthy, and the team has to be curious about whether or not he can stay on the field. The good news is that if he does get hurt, the team now has solid backups. Davis can take over as the No. 1 with Niles Paul as the primary backup. Still, it would be nice for Reed to stay on the field in 2016.
At the end of the day, it seems like Reed is ready for another great season. The big bodied tight end is living up to his potential and his athleticism should continue to make him one of the best in the league at what he does. As long as Cousins targets Reed, he will continue to catch passes and greatly improve the Redskins offense. He could end up being their top offensive player in 2016.
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