The Green Bay Packers, like many NFL teams, are dealing with some significant injuries to key players already this season, despite the fact that they have only played two games. Fortunately for Green Bay, though, they have been able to weather the storm of injuries with the depth that they already have. Elsewhere around the league, multiple teams are trying to acquire players, notably quarterbacks, as multiple starters have suffered severe injuries in the early weeks of the season.
That is not to say, though, that the Packers are comfortable or satisfied. They aspire to win a Super Bowl this year, and they want all their best players healthy in order to have a better shot at achieving that goal. But injuries are part of the game and the best teams are able to overcome them.
And so, Green Bay is looking to young rookie wide receivers to pick up the slack while Jayden Reed is sidelined for the next couple of months.
Reed has been an integral part of the Green Bay offense ever since he was taken in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft. He set the Packers franchise record for receptions by a rookie (64) that season and has led the team in both receptions and receiving yards in each of his first two seasons.
Even before the season started, though, many were worried about Reed’s health. It was reported during training camp that he was dealing with a Jones fracture in his foot, and some wondered if that would limit his production on the field.
But then, in the Packers’ Week Two victory over the Washington Commanders, Reed suffered a broken collar bone on a touchdown reception that did not count (thanks to a holding penalty by rookie offensive lineman Anthony Belton).
Despite Reed being out, Green Bay still has a very deep wide receiver room, highlighted by veterans Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks.
But their star quarterback sees more opportunities for a star rookie with Reed being out.
Prior to the season, the Packers selected a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft, the first time they had done so since 2002. That player, Matthew Golden, instantly became a fan-favorite and many expected him to play a huge role in the offense early.
But through two games, Golden has just two receptions for 15 yards. In Week Two, he did not have a single catch on two targets.
But with Reed out, Love believes that other wide receivers will be getting more chances to make plays, and he specifically mentioned Golden as one of them.
Jordan Love went through his two missed deep balls to Matthew Golden and took blame for both misses.
Also added that because of Jayden Reed’s injury…
“There’s definitely gonna be opps for other guys, but definitely M.G.” pic.twitter.com/di376lpsoG
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) September 17, 2025
“There’s definitely gonna be opps for other guys, but definitely M.G,” Love said. The quarterback also took the blame for missing Golden on the two deep balls that he threw them, saying that he should have put some more air under them and help his young pass catcher be more successful.
Without Reed on the field, and with Christian Watson still a few weeks away from returning, Golden will have a prime opportunity to make an impact.
Hopefully he and Love will be on the same page and there will be some exciting plays coming the rookie’s way in Week Three.
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