Jayden Reed has surfaced as an unexpected trade candidate for the Green Bay Packers ahead of the Nov. 10 NFL deadline, even though the team locked him into a multiyear deal earlier this year.
Reed, 26, remains on injured reserve after a neck injury suffered against the New York Jets on Sept. 20. He is expected to miss the rest of the 2026 season following surgery.
FOX Sports writer Henry McKenna listed Reed as Green Bay’s top potential trade piece in an Oct. 21 breakdown of candidates for every team.
“Reed’s currently on IR, but he seems like a player who might be better — and more productive — in another offense. He might provide something different from what Matthew Golden and Christian Watson have to offer. But the Packers don’t really make use of Reed’s talents, and they haven’t missed a beat offensively without him,” McKenna wrote.
The Packers signed Reed to a three-year, $50.25 million extension in April that includes $20 million guaranteed and keeps him under contract through 2029.
His absence has not slowed the offense. Christian Watson has 29 catches for 538 yards and six touchdowns through six games. Matthew Golden has 30 receptions for 501 yards and three scores.
Quarterback Jordan Love has thrown for 1,684 yards and 11 touchdowns. Green Bay is 4-2 after three straight wins, including a 23-13 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6.
Reed’s early production this season was limited. He caught four passes for 24 yards in two games before the injury.
In 2023, his rookie year, he led the Packers with 793 receiving yards and added eight touchdowns. He followed with 857 yards and six scores in 2024. He also has 310 career rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.
A 2025 season shortened by injuries limited him to seven games and 207 receiving yards.
Coach Matt LaFleur has said the neck surgery is not expected to end Reed’s career, though any acquiring team would not receive immediate help.
“He brings so much in versatility and how we use him and just all the different roles,” LaFleur said of Reed after the injury.
Moving a recently extended player with a serious injury creates clear obstacles. Reed would not contribute to a contender’s late-season push.
The Packers have also been linked to other receiver options amid depth questions. Skyy Moore is dealing with an ankle injury, adding uncertainty behind Watson and Golden.
Trade talks involving Reed would require a team willing to wait for his recovery and absorb his remaining contract.
Green Bay has continued to function without him, which is the central point of McKenna’s suggestion.
Any deal before the deadline would hinge on return value that accounts for both the injury timeline and the recent financial commitment.
