Heading into Week 12, the Green Bay Packers were staring down a stretch of five divisional contests in their final seven games to cap off the season. They are off to a good start, taking care of business with the Minnesota Vikings at home and scoring a massive victory in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day. They moved to 3-0 in the NFC North and are back in the mix for the NFC’s top seed at 8-3-1.
Standing in their way is an unlikely, albeit familiar foe: Ben Johnson’s Chicago Bears.
Caleb Williams and Co. are fresh off a statement win in Philadelphia, asserting themselves as a true threat to win the division at 9-3. The Bears have played several close games of late, but, unlike previous seasons, they are coming out on the right side of them. They will enter Lambeau Field in command of the North but as 6.5-point underdogs.
The Packers have found some offensive juice following back-to-back excruciating home losses to the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles, which have landed Matt LaFleur on the hot seat for the first time in his career. Losing Tucker Kraft also left a hole of physicality, YAC, a massive red-zone presence, and a team leader.
However, of all people, Christian Watson, the former 33rd-overall pick returning from a torn ACL, is blossoming into everything we thought he could be with 13 catches for 175 yards and three touchdowns over the three-game winning streak.
At times this season, the offense has looked lethargic and felt the effects of attrition. However, that has paved the way for players like Watson, Emanuel Wilson, and Dontayvion Wicks, who came out of nowhere with six catches for 94 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
As Green Bay gears up for a homestretch that will include fierce competition for the NFC North’s top spot as well as a six-horse race with the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers, Eagles, and Bears for the No. 1 seed, they will be getting a jolt of offensive firepower in the form of Jayden Reed.
Out since Week 2 with a broken collarbone, Reed has been a staple of LaFleur’s scheme as both a lateral and downfield threat. Similar to Deebo Samuel, his sprint speed doesn’t jump off the charts. Still, his play speed, vision, and dynamism let the film do the talking. Having him back in the slot next to Watson and Doubs will give Jordan Love plenty of options through the air, and we will likely see a heavy dose of him in the middle of the field, given the current state of the tight end room.
When asked about his impending return, Reed told reporters, “I think I’m definitely a piece that can help the team, man. I just hound myself on bringing juice, so I always say if you juiceless, you useless.”
Reed’s return is exactly what the Packers need to finish out 2025 strong. It will be exciting to see how LaFleur utilizes him, whether that is on Sunday or next week in Denver.
Green Bay’s receiver room was very much in flux during the offseason. A rough playoff showing in Philly put everyone on notice, especially after the inability to separate became a crucial storyline late in the game. General manager Brian Gutekunst, perhaps agreeing with public narratives about the Packers having four No. 2 receivers and lacking that true alpha wideout, selected Matthew Golden in the first round. That set in motion the departure of some of Green Bay’s young receiving talent.
Still, the question remained: which ones?
Wicks has found himself on the outside looking in time and again and has relied almost exclusively on injuries to accrue his own opportunities. Despite that, his Thanksgiving performance, combined with the skill set he has continually put on tape, will give him a robust market this spring.
Watson and Doubs didn’t feel safe, either. In fact, Reed and his uniquely explosive profile felt like the only lock for a second contract in Green Bay. Watson’s inability to stay healthy made many fans throw up their hands after his ACL tear late last season. Meanwhile, Doubs has been involved in trade rumors for a while now.
Whether that’s smoke or fire is hard to say, but he hasn’t made things particularly easy either, going for three touchdowns in clutch time against the Dallas Cowboys when Watson and Reed were unavailable. The front office gave Watson a one-year, $13.25 million extension, which makes sense for both sides to get more information on tape before a long-term resolution is reached.
As Love’s third season at the helm starts to wind down and the playoff intensity begins to ignite, where the offense comes from in those crucial moments is going to go a long way to shape the future of the receiving room. Golden has flashed talent, but not productivity, which is part of the reason why it has become so crowded and complicated with everyone else. Still, he also has a guaranteed spot for the long haul.
Jayden Reed’s return, which should hopefully be marked by explosive plays, shouldn’t make things any easier for the front office. The Green Bay offense has sorely missed its main source of “juice” this season, but the injection of Reed may be just what it needs to reach its potential.