Washington Redskins: 5 burning questions in 2018
4. Can Jordan Reed stay healthy?
When he’s on the field and feeling good, Reed is one of the most dynamic tight ends in football. Unfortunately for the Redskins offense, that doesn’t happen nearly enough for them to make him a huge part of their game plans on a weekly basis.
Reed has only managed to play in 52 games during his five seasons as a professional. In other words, he typically misses somewhere around six games per season. That makes it really difficult for a new quarterback like Alex Smith to build meaningful chemistry with him.
If Reed can’t stay on the field, Vernon Davis is going to have to pick up the slack once again. Relying on a tight end who will be 34-years-old next season is a serious gamble. Davis used to be one of the most dangerous tight ends in the game, but that was at least five years ago.
The bottom line here is that a healthy Reed could really help open things up for Smith. Remember, there are serious questions about this group of wide receivers as well. It’s hard to imagine the Redskins offense being anything other than ordinary without significant contributions from the tight end position. Reed is the team’s best shot at getting above average production from that spot.