The Green Bay Packers have plenty of ascending young talent, but star cornerback Jaire Alexander believes that Jayden Reed is already better than a former fan favorite.
Alexander spoke with reporters during OTAs on Wednesday, May 29. When asked about Reed, the former All-Pro cornerback had nothing but positive things to say about the second-year receiver.
“I mean, he has full potential,” Alexander said about Reed. “He reminds me of a young Randall Cobb. But he’s, I think, you know, he’s better. He’s hungry, man. When you got a young guy coming in who’s hungry for the ball, they’re gonna make their plays. And you see it.”
Cobb had an electric start to his NFL career, so those comments from Alexander carry quite a bit of weight for Packers fans. If Reed can be a better version of the former Packers receiver, then Jordan Love could have an emerging star to throw to in the slot.
Jaire Alexander Has Turned a New Leaf
Despite all of his previous success, Alexander became a bit of a distraction last season for the Packers.
Alexander dealt with multiple injury issues that caused him to miss significant time last season. One of those injuries was a nagging shoulder injury. Despite speculation that Alexander was intentionally sitting out of games, his month-long absence was reported a strictly injury related.
Once Alexander returned, he found himself making headlines after naming himself a captain for the coin toss against the Carolina Panthers. The decision led to the Packers giving Alexander a one-game suspension.
Despite such a rocky 2023 campaign for Alexander, general manager Brian Gutekunst remained committed to the star cornerback this offseason. He shut down the possibility of trading Alexander when asked about him at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Now, Alexander appears to be back and fully invested for the Packers and their new defensive coaching staff.
“Just going into Year 7, at this point, I’m trying not to make it as much about myself and just do what’s best for the team,” Alexander told reporters at OTAs.
With a new mindset heading into 2024, Alexander could be preparing for a bounce-back year.
Jayden Reed’s Breakout Rookie Season
Reed isn’t the biggest receiver on the Packers roster. That didn’t stop him from being Green Bay’s most productive weapon in 2023.
The Packers took Reed in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. It took him almost no time to get acclimated to the NFL level despite modest production in his final year at Michigan State.
Reed finished the season with 64 receptions for 793 yards and eight touchdowns. He also provided some value as a runner, adding a pair of touchdowns and 119 rushing yards on only 11 carries.
Heading into his second NFL season, Reed is already starting to see a difference in how he’s operating as a pro.
“It’s night and day just knowing the playbook and understanding leverages, places on the field,” Reed told reporters at OTAs. “Just having that confidence and going out there, knowing what I’m going out there for.”
If that’s the mindset that Reed has going into 2024, then he could wind up having an even more productive year in Green Bay’s offense.
