The Packers got the win they needed against the Jets, but the night came with two injuries that could reshape the offense fast. Green Bay survived 20-17 in overtime, yet wide receiver Jayden Reed was carted off with a neck injury on the second play of the game, and right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele exited one snap later with a knee injury.
Reed’s absence would be manageable in a way the Packers can live with. Matthew Golden and Christian Watson give Green Bay enough at receiver to absorb that loss, and the position looks like a strength. The real problem is up front, where Bako-Bewele’s injury could leave a huge hole and force Anthony Belton into a role that does not look remotely ideal.
After the game, head coach Matt LaFleur did not offer much optimism about Bako-Bewele’s outlook, saying he could be out for a long time. That puts Belton in line to step in, and that is a shaky solution for a team trying to keep its offense afloat.
Belton, a second-round pick in 2024, has bounced around the line and never locked down a steady starting job. He was expected to open this season at right guard, but Jacob Monk passed him on the depth chart. Now Belton is the swing tackle, and if Bako-Bewele is out for the year, he becomes the next man up at right tackle.
That is where the trouble really starts. Belton has not done much over the past two seasons to suggest he can stabilize the position. He has played 60 offensive snaps this year, all at right tackle, and has allowed three total pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
Green Bay also does not have much else waiting in the wings unless it wants to give John Williams a shot. So if the Packers want a cleaner answer than crossing their fingers with Belton, the move is obvious: call Jacksonville about Walker Little.
Little started for the Jaguars last season before being benched in 2025, but he has shown enough to look like a real option. He can play both tackle spots, which gives him value for a Packers team that needs help on the edge. Jacksonville had trade interest around him in the offseason, but held onto him because he was insurance while Cole Van Lanen recovered from a knee injury suffered in 2025.
Now that Van Lanen is healthy, the Jaguars could be more open to moving Little. He carries a base salary of $11 million in 2026 and $12 million the following year, which is not cheap, but it is also not out of reach for Green Bay if the front office decides the line needs immediate help.
There is also reason to think Little can still hold up. He gave up nine sacks last season, per PFF, but before that he had allowed just eight sacks across 1,128 pass-blocking snaps over four years.
If the Packers are going to make a move, the price matters too. A conditional fourth-round pick that could become a third based on playing time or other factors would fit as a fair return for a veteran tackle who could step in right away.
Green Bay is not at panic mode yet. But with Bako-Bewele’s status suddenly in doubt, the Packers need to think hard about preventing that from becoming the next step.
In Other News...
Wisconsin Fans Have Another Reason To Watch Jack Sorgi Closely
Jack Sorgi has given Wisconsin fans plenty to follow this fall, and not just because he is already headed to Madison. The senior quarterback and Wisconsin commit has put together a strong start to his season, piling up 1,401 passing yards and 12 passing touchdowns while adding 313 rushing yards and six scores on the ground in five games. He is also completing nearly 70% of his throws and carrying a 124.3 quarterback rating, numbers that help explain why his stock keeps drawing attention.
For Badgers fans, the appeal goes beyond the box score. Sorgi is a legacy recruit, with his father, Jim Sorgi, having played at Wisconsin, and his arrival comes at a time when the quarterback room is expected to be young and competitive next season. That gives his development a little extra weight, because every strong performance now only adds to the anticipation about how quickly he can fit into the program once he gets to campus. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsin's Secondary Just Took A Hit At The Worst Time
Wisconsins secondary was already under the microscope early in the season, and now it has to absorb a major blow. Cornerback Cai Bates announced he tore his ACL in Week 2, a development that is expected to end his season and removes a transfer who had been viewed as one of the more promising additions in the defensive backfield. Bates had been lined up for a bigger role, and his absence cuts into both the Badgers depth and their plans for shoring up the cornerback spot.
The timing stings because Wisconsin does not have much proven cover behind the starters, and the path forward gets thinner from here. True freshman Donovan Dunmore is now positioned as the top backup outside cornerback, a lot to ask of a young player in a spot where injuries can quickly expose the rotation. For a defense trying to settle in, losing a potential contributor this early forces the Badgers to keep adjusting on the fly. [Read more 🡒]
Wisconsins Earliest 2027 Commit Is Already Showing A Different Edge
Ethan McIntosh and the Verona Wildcats keep rolling early in the season, and the latest step came in a 31-13 home win over Janesville Parker that pushed Verona to 4-1. For Wisconsin, the more interesting part was not just the result but the way McIntosh carried himself inside it, showing a sturdier edge in his play and a growing presence as a leader on the field.
Head coach Andrew Riley has noticed the development, and so has the Badgers recruiting staff, which has already landed McIntosh as the earliest Wisconsin commit in the class of 2027. McIntosh also talked about how tight the Wisconsin offensive line group has become among its recruits, a small but meaningful sign of how quickly the connection is forming before he ever gets to campus. [Read more 🡒]