Packers offense takes another hit as Jayden Reed lands on IR

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Packers offense takes another hit as Jayden Reed lands on IR

By Mike J. Asti | Last updated Sep 30, 2026 12:51 PM ET

Any hope of the struggling Green Bay Packers receiving a boost for their offense took a major hit on Wednesday afternoon.

A day after Packers head coach Matt Lafleur hinted that injured wide receiver Jayden Reed will miss "significant" time, the latest report about his status now suggest he could be out for the entire season. According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Green Bay will officially place Reed on injured reserve.

Jayden Reed suffered neck injury in Week 2 against the Jets

Reed suffered what's become a severe neck injury during the Packers' Week 2 win over the New York Jets. In just two games, Reed caught four passes on eight targets for 24 yards.

And the news, while not completely unexpected, only adds to the troubles surrounding a now 1-2 Packers team that's striving to find a consistent rhythm on offense.

Green Bay only managed to score 14 points in its last game, a 35-14 blowout loss to the Atlanta Flacons. Without Reed, quarterback Jordan Love was unable to move the Packers down the field until the fourth quarter when the game was already out of reach. Love finished with 312 yards passing, but most were in garbage time.

Packers are placing WR Jayden Reed on injured reserve due to his neck injury, per sources. Reed is out indefinitely if not for the season as he continues his recovery. He posted on IG today, “11 out.” pic.twitter.com/dgH47yfXIe
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 30, 2026

Green Bay's one-dimensional offense needs all the help it can get

The offense has also been forced into being one dimensional with star running back Josh Jacobs still on the commissioner's exempt list. Green Bay recorded just 17 yards on the ground in Atlanta.

So now with Reed gone for most, if not all, of their remaining games, Love will need to figure out a way to have success all through the air with a key weapon on the shelf.

Reed also lost games last season due to injury

Reed entered the 2026 season looking to stay healthy following an injury plagued 2025 season that saw him appear in seven games. But before the injury bug started to bite Reed, he was showing signs of developing into a top wide out. He put up 55 receptions for 857 yards and six touchdowns in 2024 and had 793 yards with eight scores as a rookie the year prior.

The hope is that the 26-year-old can get right and enjoy a full campaign next season, especially since the Packers invested in him with a three-year contract extension worth $50.25 million in April, although that won't help the Packers in their immediate future.

Mike J. Asti

Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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