After an up-and-down 1-1 start, the Green Bay Packers will look to really right the ship against the Michael Penix-led Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. Unfortunately for the Packers, they will be without one of their more important offensive weapons, receiver Jayden Reed. And at this point in time, it seems unclear when he'll even return to the Packers' lineup.
In Week 2, Reed had to be carted off the field after taking a dangerous hit on a swing pass during a win over the New York Jets. The playmaker has what the Packers are calling a neck injury. According to head coach Matt LaFleur, he is still undergoing some medical tests to figure whether he'll even return to play at some point later this season.
It's to the point where LaFleur clarified
that it's way too early to even ask when Reed will actually play again. Woof:
Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Jayden Reed is back in Green Bay and is going through a series of tests but doesn’t know about Reed’s chances of playing this season.
— Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky) September 22, 2026
“It’s way too early for that right now. … He’s got a lot going on.”
LaFleur said it is a neck injury. pic.twitter.com/LBmJSO13Il
Oh, man, that is brutal and really scary to hear. Setting aside the football of it all, here's hoping Reed can recover fully from his injury and just be OK in his life, first and foremost.
Who is Jayden Reed's backup on the Packers?
Bo Melton is listed as Reed's backup on the Packers' depth chart. He is a former seventh-round draft pick out of the 2022 class.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: When will Jayden Reed come back to the Packers?
