San Francisco 49ers sign former Washington tight end Jordan Reed
Jordan Reed has found his new team. It will be the San Francisco 49ers.
An era ended during the 2020 NFL offseason when the Washington Football Team released tight end Jordan Reed. The former third-round pick from Florida had spent the first seven years of his career in Washington, but it was time for both the team and the player to move on.
Reed was once one of the most dynamic tight ends in the league. In 2015, he had 952 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. Alas, he was unable to stay healthy and battled nagging ailments and concussions. Reed played in just 19 of 48 games over a three-year span and missed all of 2019 after taking a hit to the head in the preseason. After that campaign, Washington decided it was time to move on.
Because of questions about Reed’s health, he remained available on the open market for much of the offseason. But now, he has found a new home, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. It will be with the San Francisco 49ers.
Former Washington Football Team Pro Bowl TE Jordan Reed reached agreement on an incentive-laden, one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers, sources tell ESPN. Reed is 30, has a history of concussions, but when healthy - as he is now - he is one of the game’s elite tight ends.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 3, 2020
The landing spot makes a ton of sense for Reed. He is reuniting with Kyle Shanahan, who coached him during his solid rookie season, and his former teammate-turned-49er via trade, Trent Williams. And beyond that, this spot will give him a chance to find success.
San Francisco already has George Kittle on the roster, so Reed will serve as the No. 2 tight end and potential insurance should Kittle get hurt. With opposing defenses focused so much on Kittle, Reed may get a chance to face single coverage and create some big plays. And as Schefter mentioned, Reed can be dynamic when healthy. And even if the leg/hamstring injuries he has dealt with over the years make him a bit slower, he’ll still be a mismatch threat as a backup and potential partner for Kittle.
It will be interesting to see how The 49ers use Reed. But on a one-year, incentive-based deal, he’s a sensible signing for the NFC West contender.
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As for the Washington Football Team, Reed’s presence will be missed given their lack of talent in the tight end room, but it was undeniably the right time to move on for both sides. We’ll soon see if the likes of Logan Thomas, Hale Hentges, Jeremy Sprinkle, or Thaddeus Moss can step up and develop into a surprise contributor for Washington.