Jayden Reed’s status is still up in the air after the Packers wideout was stretchered off during Sunday’s 20-17 overtime win over the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium.
Reed exited in the first half after absorbing a hard shot near the head and neck area, then did not return. There was at least one encouraging detail in the aftermath: he was reportedly able to move his extremities.
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Tuesday that Reed is back in Green Bay and undergoing a series of tests, but the team is nowhere near having a return date. When asked about whether Reed could play again this season, LaFleur kept it simple.
“It’s way too early for that right now. … He’s got a lot going on.”
LaFleur also said Reed’s injury is to his neck.
The 26-year-old receiver signed a three-year, $50.25 million extension with Green Bay in April, making the setback even more significant for a player the Packers were counting on early this season. Against the Jets, Reed finished with one catch for four yards on his only target before leaving.
Through two games in 2026, he has four receptions for 24 yards on eight targets.
It’s also a familiar kind of frustration for Reed. He missed time last season after getting hurt in Green Bay’s Week 2 game against the Washington Commanders, then worked his way back and returned in Week 13 before finishing out the year.
For now, the expectation is that Reed will miss the Packers’ Week 3 game against the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field.
In Other News...
Packers May Have Found Pass Rush Help At The Perfect Time
The pass rush has been one of Green Bays most watched areas early this season, and rookie edge rusher Dani Dennis-Sutton has started to give the defense a timely boost. Against the Jets, he put together a disruptive afternoon with six tackles, half a sack and two quarterback hits, the kind of activity that shows up on the stat sheet and in the pressure Washington? No, in the pressure he helped create on the opposing quarterback.
For a player taken 120th in the draft, that kind of early production is notable, especially when hes already ranking 15th among edge defenders in pass-rush win rate after two games. The Packers are always looking for help up front, and Dennis-Sutton has at least opened the door to a bigger role by outplaying several rookies selected ahead of him. [Read more 🡒]
Falcons Secondary Just Lost Its Biggest Safety Net Before Packers Game
The Falcons defense took a significant hit this week when cornerback A.J. Terrell was placed on injured reserve after suffering a groin injury in a recent game. His absence comes with a real timing issue for Atlanta, too, because he now has to sit out at least four games, putting Week 7 as the earliest possible return. For a secondary that leans on him as its top coverage option, the loss changes the look of the group heading into a matchup that already had plenty of attention.
Atlanta filled the open roster spot by promoting defensive lineman Zach Harrison from the practice squad, but that move does not replace what Terrell gives the back end. For the Packers, it is the kind of development that can alter how a defense chooses to play on the perimeter and in the middle of the field, especially against an opponent that no longer has its biggest safety net available. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Suddenly Have A Huge NFC North Opening Before Chicago
The Packers took care of the Jets and now move into a stretch that could shape the early NFC North race, with games against the Falcons and Buccaneers on deck before the divisional calendar starts to tighten. Green Bay has reason to feel encouraged after the win, but the bigger picture in the division is still unsettled, with injuries complicating the outlook for the Packers, Bears, Vikings and Lions alike.
Chicago looms as the next major checkpoint, and the matchup carries extra weight because the division has not yet sorted itself out. Green Bay does not need the standings to tell it what is at stake here: an opportunity to gain ground before the Bears game can turn a good early run into real leverage in a race that already feels wide open. [Read more 🡒]