Green Bay left Sunday with one encouraging update and one troubling one, and Matt LaFleur didn’t sugarcoat either.
After the Packers’ 20-17 overtime win over the New York Jets, the head coach said Jayden Reed has movement in all his extremities and will remain overnight. He also made it clear the scene was alarming.
"I just wanted to give you guys an update, Jayden Reed, he's got movement in all his extremities. He will be staying overnight," LaFleur said, according to ESPN's Rob Demovsky.
He continued, "That was just obviously a very scary deal. Anytime you see anybody down on the field and have to get carted off."
Reed’s injury came on the second play of the game, when he was hit and appeared to go limp as he hit the turf. Packers players quickly gathered around him, and the FOX broadcast went to a pair of commercial breaks while the cart was brought out to get him off the field.
That was the positive part of the night. The other update was much harder to hear.
LaFleur said the outlook is not good for Zach Bako-Bewele, adding, "An update on Zach Tom, that doesn't look good either as far as you know, I think he could be out for a long time."
Bako-Bewele was ruled out with a knee injury, and the play appeared to be non-contact. LaFleur did not offer anything more specific, but the tone made the situation sound serious.
The Packers are already dealing with a thin offensive line, and this is the last kind of news they wanted coming out of the game. Green Bay also has a short turnaround ahead, with the Atlanta Falcons coming to town for Thursday Night Football on Sept. 24.
Reed’s situation is especially notable because the Packers haven’t had many snaps with Reed, Tucker Kraft, Matthew Golden, and Christian Watson all on the field together. For now, the biggest concern is Reed’s recovery and whether Bako-Bewele’s injury turns into the long-term absence LaFleur hinted at.
In Other News...
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Wisconsin Finally Has An Early Benchmark Fans Can Really Debate
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Colton Joseph set a school record for passing yards in a half, Tyrell Henry added his own place in the program record book with a huge catch volume, and the defense kept turning the game back in Wisconsins favor with takeaways. Special teams even added a late jolt by blocking a field goal and taking it the other way for a touchdown, the kind of finishing touch that can make a September win feel more meaningful than the final score alone. [Read more 🡒]