RP Clips: Can the Packers Figure Themselves Out?

Matt Harmon (0:00)

This is Reception Perception, The Show. James Koh and Matt Harmon.

James Koh (0:06)

Jayden Reed was placed on IR. It looks like potentially a season ending neck injury here for Jayden Reed.

Matt Harmon (0:13)

As we're taping this, Matt LaFour actually just announced that it is indeed a season ending.

James Koh (0:19)

Scary looking injury for sure. And again, we talked about this a lot in the offseason that they turned a strength into a potential weakness. The fragility of the wide receiver room was always in question. And now we're less than four weeks into the season.

And Jayden Reed, one of their primary guys, is going to be missing the entire season. I don't know who steps up. I don't know who's going to kind of sort of fill that role here for Green Bay. But I will say, man, like, that was a big time worry coming into the season that injury concerns were a big thing. And I just don't know if they have the depth, Matt, to kind of overcome an injury like this.

Matt Harmon (1:00)

Oh, I know who's stepping into that role. It's our old friend Sky Moore is going to be the starting slot receiver now for the Green Bay Packers. Sky Moore in week three ran 48% of the routes, which is pretty classic. You know, the slot was even Jayden Reed struggled for full time reps in this offense. But 48% route participation. He was target on 27% of his routes, a lot of short and underneath stuff.

7.7 yards after catch per reception, he caught three passes for 31 yards. So, you know, it's not going to be a big role. But yeah, they're going to be playing Sky Moore as the starting slot receiver the rest of the way, which, you know, there's a small part of me that, you know, is curious to see how that goes, because I liked Sky Moore as a prospect, but he never really developed in the NFL. So again, part of me is a sick pup that thinks that could be interesting, but that's it's still tough. Like the depth of this team is really difficult. Javion Williams is on injured reserve for this team. You know, maybe he at some point could kind of get into the design touches mix. If he can get back on the field, I'm not 100% sure about his injury status, but yeah, I mean, you're right. And by the way, Christian Watson, some of the injury docs on Twitter were noting that, I watched Thursday Night Football on the freaking plane out to San Diego. So I didn't totally pick up on this, but I saw the injury docs on Twitter were noting that Christian Watson kind of popped his leg up at one point late in the game. This is not a guy that has a clean injury history whatsoever. If you look at the contract they gave him, it's one of those that looks really good on paper, but there's some ways that, okay, guaranteed money they can get out of it if injuries. Matthew Golden has looked good so far, but some holes in his game, but he's definitely an improved player in year two, looks good on film and is getting open against man coverage. That's been good to see. It's a light room. Tucker Kraft is not all the way back. He had a rough game on Thursday Night Football for sure. He's also having a block more than he did previously because the offensive line is brutal. I mean, the Packers are a bad, bad football team. And I really just feel for Jayden Reed, man. This is a guy who liked as a prospect. First two years in the NFL were really good. I know he was up and down from a fantasy perspective, but objectively a really good NFL player. And the last two years of his career have just been ruined by injuries and neck injuries are serious and scary.

It's a good thing Jayden Reed got paid in the off season because yeah, I'm just really not sure where he goes from here. I wish him the best though, wish him the best.

James Koh (3:25)

So no Jayden Reed here and I know Sky Moore will be the guy. I don't know how much he's going to be utilized. As you said, less than 60 percent snapshot or whatever it might be. Jay Michael Sturdvant is another player that's in the mix here. I don't think he's ever going to play slot.

Not that he shouldn't. I actually think he'd be pretty good as you call him one of these oversized slot players. I just think because Green Bay is Green Bay, they see the size, they're going to play him outside.