The Green Bay Packers lost one of their top weapons in the win over the Washington Commanders. Jayden Reed couldn't finish the game after suffering an injury early when he almost came down with a spectacular 39-yard touchdown reception. The play was wiped out after right tackle Anthony Belton was called for a penalty, and while Reed could stay on the sidelines for a while, he ultimately had to go to the locker room with a collarbone injury.
Since then, Reed surprised the fans by undergoing surgery to address both that injury and a stress fracture he was dealing with. That's why, as tough as losing him may have been, Packers insider Cameron Ezeir believes it could be a blessing in disguise.
Packers WR Jayden Reed's Injury Solves Another Major Concern
"Something new of note: After the plan was to play through the stress fracture in his foot, Reed and the #Packers elect to get both surgeries done at the same time, knowing the collarbone surgery was inevitable," Ezeir wrote on X.
Reed missed most of training camp with that same foot injury, so even though he could technically play through it, he will now be fully healthy by the time he returns. The recovery timeline for his collarbone injury is usually six to eight weeks, so he would be in line to return at some point in the second half of the season.
Reed was off to a strong start to the season, leading the team with three receptions for 45 yards and one touchdown in the season opener vs. the Detroit Lions despite being out there for just 18 snaps.
A big-play specialist, Reed had clearly developed a strong chemistry with Jordan Love, and he looked like a potential breakout candidate after logging 119 catches for 1,650 yards and 14 TDs in his first two NFL seasons.
Reed won't be the only prime reinforcement the Packers will get for the final stretch of the campaign, as oft-injured wideout Christian Watson will also be back on the field sooner rather than later.
In the meantime, Love and head coach Matt LaFleur will still have plenty of weapons to spread the wealth, including first-round rookie Matthew Golden. Third-year tight end Tucker Kraft also looks poised for a career-best year, and that's without mentioning Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, and Savion Williams.
Injuries are never good news, but the Packers' current crop of pass-catchers should be more than capable of holding down the fort in Reed's absence.