The Green Bay Packers can't seem to catch a break with injuries right now. They just lost Zach Bako-Bewele for the remainder of the season, and while they may have dodged a bullet, Jayden Reed is also pretty banged up with what Matt LaFleur called a neck injury.
Fortunately, Reed's injury is less severe than initially thought, but he's still a long shot to suit up for Thursday night's home opener vs. the Atlanta Falcons. Even if he can play, the team would be wise to err on the side of caution after such a short turnaround.
However, the Packers shouldn't panic in Reed's absence. If anything, they should give Skyy Moore a longer leash, as the speedy special teams contributor has earned an opportunity to show what he can do in the passing game.
The Packers should see what they have with Skyy Moore
While he's been rather underwhelming as a pass catcher, Moore's speed, acceleration, and quick twitch are pretty notorious. If anything, the Packers probably would've lost in Week 2 if it weren't for him.
Moore set up the game-tying field goal to force overtime after breaking loose for a 63-yard punt return. He was a tackle away from finding paydirt, and while that isn't the first time he's made a big play for that unit, that play alone should've earned him some goodwill.
The Packers should be just fine with Christian Watson, Matthew Golden, and Tucker Kraft drawing most of the attention in the passing game. That said, Jordan Love is a true gunslinger, and Moore's body of work could come in handy here.
Golden is a speedster, and opposing defenses have to keep an eye on him in vertical routes. Lining up another big-play specialist like Moore next to him in three wide receiver sets will inevitably force defenses to leave someone open, whether it's in the short and intermediate area of the field or in the defensive backfield.
Thus far, Moore has only hauled in two of four receptions for six yards. In his career, he has a grand total of 50 catches for 587 receiving yards and one touchdown. That said, he hasn't gotten much of an opportunity to show what he can do with consistent playing time.
Reed's absence is obviously a big deal, but the Packers are one of the few teams that can actually afford to get by without him. And if Moore makes the most of this opportunity, the Packers' already scary passing game would get yet another big-play threat for LaFleur to get creative with.
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