The Washington Redskins will go toe to toe with the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1. Unfortunately for Jay Gruden's team, it looks like quarterback Case Keenum is going to be down a major weapon for the season-opener, tight end Jordan Reed.
Redskins officially announce Jordan Reed OUT for Week 1, along with the Holtz in/Davis out moves. https://t.co/qkqfq83zi2
— Ben Standig (@BenStandig) September 7, 2019
It's fair to say the Redskins aren't exactly loaded with playmakers at receiver. Reed is a great tight end, but consistently struggles with injury. Running backs Derrius Guice and Adrian Peterson should be Washington's strength, but both carry question marks, too.
With that in mind, Keenum needs all hands on deck in Wee 1, especially against a dangerous Eagles defense. Losing Reed already does not bode well for the Redskins. They do have a very solid backup in Vernon Davis, though, and Jeremy Sprinkle has a lot of promise as a up-and-coming tight end.
Washington overhauled its receiving corps in the offseason, waiving former first-round pick Josh Doctson and letting Jamison Crowder and Maurice Harris walk in free agency. Together with Reed, they accounted for four of the Redskins' top-five pass-catchers last season. Running back Chris Thompson is the only one from the top-five that will be available to play for them on Sunday.
While it's good Washington made changes given its struggles offensively in 2018, doing so with a lot of young and unproven names could be its downfall early in the year. As they get experience, the group could grow together and get better. However, early on there will definitely be struggles – and not having Reed is only going to make them worse.
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