The Green Bay Packers lost two crucial players to their offense in the opening three plays of the game. First, slot receiver Jayden Reed was injured and left the field in a backboard. Immediately after that play, starting right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele, who had been dealing with recovery from patellar tendon surgery, was carted off the field in an inflatable cast. Usually, an inflatable cast means that there’s a broken bone involved.
In the post-game press conference, head coach Matt LaFleur said that
Reed has feeling and movement in his extremities, but that he will stay overnight in New York/New Jersey for extra tests. Go ahead and assume it’s going to be a while before you see Reed on the field again. The Packers’ receiver rotation is very, very rigid, and Skyy Moore has been the full-time backup slot, with no one else getting those looks dating back to the preseason. The assumption, as long as Green Bay’s plan doesn’t change, is that Moore will replace Reed’s reps moving forward.
Bako-Bewele’s injury “could be out for a long time,” according to LaFleur. Bako-Bewele’s backup is Anthony Belton, who played the position for all but the three snaps that Bako-Bewele was on the field for. Belton has been the preferred backup at the position dating back to training camp, so it’s safe to assume that that’s where he’s going to slide in.
While it wasn’t addressed specifically in the press conference, left guard Aaron Banks, who missed Week 1 with knee tendinitis, left the game on Sunday with a toe injury, too. He was initially replaced by Donovan Jennings and then rookie fifth-round pick Jager Burton. Injuries got so bad on the offensive line that at one point, the coaching staff discussed moving Tucker Kraft to offensive tackle until Jacob Monk was cleared by the medical staff. Jennings, Banks’ replacement, also left the game with a hand injury.
There are no updates on the injuries to Banks and Jennings. We’ll know more on Monday, as the Packers will have to release injury reports starting tomorrow, because Green Bay will be playing the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football.
