Jordan Reed needs to be placed on IR, otherwise it’s another ding against Mike Shanahan
Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed (86) against the Minnesota Vikings at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. The Vikings defeated the Redskins 34-27. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
Washington Redskins rookie tight end Jordan Reed suffered a concussion in Week 11 against the Philadelphia Eagles, but he was supposed to return in Week 13 to play against the rival New York Giants on Sunday Night Football. Reed, however, was ruled out after suffering a setback on his concussion shortly before kick-off, and he’s been having major issues since.
The Redskins still aren’t sure if they want to shut down Reed for the remainder of the season, but I think that this is would be the best decision for the organization. Reed is one of the team’s most promising players, so they can’t afford to risk anything, especially when it comes to something as serious as a multi-week, nagging concussion. Plus, Mike Shanahan put Robert Griffin III on the shelf for the rest of the season under the guise that he didn’t want to risk RG3 being injured. While we all know that this is total bunk (Shanahan just wants to “stick it” to Dan Snyder), Shanahan could help himself save a little bit of face by resting Reed. More importantly, the Redskins aren’t going anywhere this season, so it only makes sense to play things as cautiously as possible with him.
According to ESPN NFL Nation’s John Keim, Jordan Reed will meet with concussion specialists today, and Shanahan stated that the reason why the Redskins are not shutting down Reed for the rest of the season is because they are waiting for recommendations from the team doctors.
Honestly, this is utter garbage. Why on earth do you need a doctor’s recommendation to shut a guy down? What type of a doctor is going to deter you from taking the cautious route with a player’s health? No, you only ask for a doctor’s recommendation if you want somebody to play, not if you want to shut them down. The fact that Reed is meeting with specialists a month after the concussion shows that this is a very serious issue, especially since Reed is still having headaches.
Shanahan has to place Reed on the injured reserve, because there is simply no point in risking Reed’s future. Concussions like this are incredibly serious, and Reed is a talented rookie on a team that sucks. And the head coach making the call? He’s almost guaranteed to be gone after this season. The Redskins need to do what’s best for Reed, shut him down, and then use that roster spot to promote someone who could use a cup-of-coffee at this point in the season. Honestly, Shanahan shouldn’t even be leaving the door open for Reed’s return, and even trying to beat the New York Giants in Week 17 isn’t a legitimate justification. I mean, if you were so willing to shut down RG3 for “health” reasons…