For the second time in his career, Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed has been named to the NFL's Top 100 players list, up to No. 65 after being No. 77 in 2016.
Considered one of the best players at his position in the NFL today, Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed has once again been named to the NFL's annual Top 100 players list – selected based on player vote – as he checks in at No. 65 on this year's edition.
Reed made his debut on the Top 100 last season, checking in at No. 77 following a season in which he became the first Redskins tight end since Jean Fugett in 1977 to lead the team in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.
The University of Florida product, who was signed to a multi-year contract extension last May, continued his strong play in 2016, collecting 66 receptions for 686 yards and six touchdowns despite missing four games and being slowed by injury during the final month of the season.
In a 31-20 victory over the Cleveland Browns in October, Reed became the fastest tight end in NFL history to 200 receptions, as he hauled in nine receptions for 73 yards and two touchdowns.
Reed earned the achievement in just 38 games after Kellen Winslow Sr. held the record by achieving the feat in 39 games.
"It feels amazing because I look up to a player like Kellen Winslow," Reed said. "Just to know that I beat one of his records is a great feeling."
After missing the Redskins' Week 6 and 7 games against the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions, Reed returned to the field for Washington's 27-27 tie against the Cincinnati Bengals at Wembley Stadium in London, tallying nine receptions for 99 yards and a touchdown.
Three weeks later against the Dallas Cowboys, Reed has his best game of the season despite suffering an AC joint separation in the second quarter.
Despite uncertainty of his reinsertion into to the game, Reed returned to the Redskins' sideline coming out of halftime and was the best player on the field in the second half. The 26-year-old made a downfield diving catch late in the third quarter then hauled in a pair of touchdown receptions in the fourth quarter to keep Washington in the game against their rivals.
"For him to be able to come out and play the way he did tonight, his performance was unprecedented," said fellow Redskins tight end Vernon Davis. "It was amazing, it was beautiful to see him come back out there. Despite taking the loss, we kept fighting, and a guy like Jordan Reed comes back and continues to fight, it speaks volumes on who he is as a player."
Even with Pierre Garçon and DeSean Jackson recording 1,000-yard campaigns last year, Jamison Crowder said the passing game ran through Reed and will continue to do so in 2017 regardless of who is playing wide receiver.
"Obviously everyone knows what J- Reed brings to the offense," Crowder said last month. "He's listed as a tight end but he's more of a receiver-type guy as far as his route running and the way that he catches the football and the way that he can make plays after the catch. I mean, like I said, I look forward to playing alongside with J-Reed [and] just being one of the guys that just plays off of him because everybody knows that he's going to make plays and he's going to help out the offense as much as possible."
