Dec. 13--The assignment: Covering Redskins tight end Jordan Reed
Reed's measurables: 6-foot-2, 237 pounds
Assigned: Bears linebackers Shea McClellin and Jonathan Anderson and safeties Adrian Amos and Chris Prosinski
Notable numbers: Reed has a team-best 58 catches for 574 yards and six touchdowns, all career highs. He ranks eighth among all tight ends in receiving yards.
Scouting report: The Redskins appreciate Reed's versatility -- they line him up all over and fully trust his route-running ability. Reed's savvy makes him particularly dangerous in third-and-medium situations in which he can find holes in zone coverages and make sound decisions on option routes. There's no secret to why quarterback Kirk Cousins has made Reed his top target in the Redskins' West Coast offense. "I like to throw to guys who are open," Cousins said. Cousins also praised Reed's good hands and large catch radius and appreciates his tight end's ability to gain separation in man coverage. For whatever defenders wind up on Reed, it will be critical to understand his skills.
Word from within: "You'd like to get your hands on him and try to slow him down a little bit. But he's very nifty as tight ends go. He has a really good feel for running routes and for knowing where a defender is on him. So you have to mix up your techniques." -- Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio
