The Green Bay Packers enjoyed another dominant win, defeating the Washington Commanders 27-18 on Thursday night. The win was highlighted by Micah Parsons’s continued impact on the Packers defense and the first 100-yard game of Tucker Kraft’s career. But the biggest concern after the game was the status of wide receiver Jayden Reed.
Reed was injured in the first quarter of Thursday’s game when he landed awkwardly on his shoulder after making a catch in the end zone. As if having the play called back due to an Anthony Belton holding penalty wasn’t bad enough, Reed left the game and did not return before being spotted in a sling by The Athletic’s Matthew Schneidman.
The worst fear in this situation is that a player either dislocated his shoulder or broke his collarbone. When Matt LaFleur addressed the media including SI’s Bill Huber after the game, he confirmed those fears, telling reporters that Reed will miss “a lot of time” after breaking his collarbone on Thursday night.
Jayden Reed’s Injury Leaves Packers Searching for Answers at Receiver
Reed’s injury comes at a terrible time. A key figure in the Packers search for a No. 1 receiver, Reed caught 64 passes for 793 yards and eight touchdowns during his rookie season in 2023 and backed it up with 55 catches for 857 yards and six touchdowns in 2024.
While the numbers are solid, Reed was looking to hit another gear until injuries got in the way. He dislocated his shoulder during the Packers’ playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles last January and suffered a Jones fracture in his left foot during the team’s preseason opener against the New York Jets. Reed spent the rest of preseason and training camp in a walking boot and returned for the regular season, making three catches for 45 yards in last week’s season-opening win over the Detroit Lions.
The injury is bad news for Reed who was entering the third year of his rookie deal. But it also puts the depth in the Packers’ receiver room to the test. Jordan Love narrowly missed Matthew Golden on a pair of deep connections following Reed’s injury while Dontayvion Wicks caught four passes for 44 yards and Malik Heath hauled in a 37-yard reception.
The Packers also will get reinforcements later this year when Christian Watson is eligible to be activated off the physically unable to perform (PUP) list for the Week 6 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
It’s unknown how long “a lot of time” is, but it certainly means that Reed will be going on injured reserve and could possibly miss the remainder of the season. It leaves a big void in the Packers receiving room and a potential shopping item as Green Bay looks to take advantage of its 2-0 start.