Finally, the San Francisco 49ers received some good news.
NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that the Niners are planning to activate tight end Jordan Reed off injured reserve to play tonight versus the Green Bay Packers. The 49ers later announced the move in addition to the expected placement of tight end George Kittle and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo on IR.
Reed had been on IR since suffering a knee injury in Week 3.
The veteran tight end caught 11 passes for 85 yards and two scores before being injured. Reed helped fill in for Kittle in Weeks 2 and 3, catching nine passes for 73 yards and two TDs in those games before getting injured.
The Niners will need Reed to come off the pine and produce immediately given the state of their pass-catching corps. Kittle is on IR and probably done for the year. Deebo Samuel is injured and on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Brandon Aiyuk is on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Kendrick Bourne tested positive for COVID-19. And that doesn't even get into the banged-up running back crew.
Reed joins Ross Dwelley and Charlie Woerner in the TE troop, with Trent Taylor and Richie James as the only members of the wideout group left.
The Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers will kick off Thursday from Levi's Stadium at 8:20 p.m. ET, airing on NFL Network and FOX and streaming exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.
