Jayden Reed’s recent injuries include a broken collarbone and a fracture in his left foot, both of which required surgery in September.
The collarbone injury happened in Week 2, and the foot injury was from training camp, with both being repaired at the same time. He has since returned to practice, but he’s still awaiting medical clearance to return to game action.
Foot and collarbone feeling?
Everything feels great right now. I’m just following the protocol and just waiting for my number to be called.
What’s the process been like?
A whole lot of ups and downs, man. It’s a lot of mixed emotions and things that came with it, but I got all the right people around me to prepare me for this moment.
Which hurts more, the collarbone or the foot?
I wouldn’t really say. Both of them had its days, pretty much. Some days, collarbone was hurting more; some days, foot hurt more. I’m feeling pretty good now.
At least the foot is better?
Yeah, that was more of a me thing trying to work through it, but it definitely needed to be taken care of, and I’m glad it happened the way it happened for me to be able to do that.
Fast start?
It’s all God’s timing. I wasn’t really disappointed, man. I was just excited for the next guy up, because I know we’ve got a lot of playmakers in the room. I was just really excited for the next man, really. I think everything happened for a reason. It was God trying to tell me to help my foot out a little bit, so that’s kind of how I took it.
What are you looking forward to most?
Man, just the excitement with the guys. Just running up, picking up my teammates, the smiles, the laughing — just the fun part of the game. I just want to get back to it. I miss it.
The toughest part?
I don’t know, honestly. I enjoy watching the guys. It wasn’t really hard for me to watch. It was just really hard not being able. It was a lot of stuff that I went through but really just watching, I enjoy watching the guys all the time. No matter what, through the hard, the good times, it’s just good seeing those guys out there making plays, flying around and putting it all on the line.
What did you do at practice?
I ran some routes. That’s all I got, really. Ran some routes.
Introspection during time out?
Yeah man, you just gotta appreciate when you out there man, like you never know when it’s your last snap. That was like the first time I got surgery, and I got two surgeries. So yeah, this is a serious game we play, and it takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears, and it can get to your mental some time, as well. So you gotta take care of that kind of stuff. I’m just glad I had all the right people around me to keep me in the right mindset and stuff like that.
Offense capable of what with you back?
I think we got the full package, man. We got the best rookie receiver in the draft, in my opinion, in Savion and Matthew. We got the two best rookie receivers in my opinion. We got Wicks, man. Nobody run routes like Wicks. Nobody can run like 9; nobody can catch like Rome.
Nobody can make acrobatic plays like Malik. We just got so many playmakers. Even Bo coming off the other side of the ball, man; you could throw him in there, he can make a play. I can name everybody in the room that can contribute in so many different ways, so it’s just great seeing those guys going out there and do what they do. So I’m just excited to see it all come together for this run we gotta make.
Are you the missing piece?
Yeah, I think I’m definitely a piece that can help the team, man. I just hound myself on like bringing juice, so I always say, “If you juiceless, you useless.” So like that’s whether you on the field, off the field, just bringing juice, bringing energy within the team. I’m just one of those guys, man. I like to be more of a team player than just a good teammate than being a good player, but I’m more of being a great person than a great player.
