Although he has only missed one regular season game in his two-year career, Jayden Reed has consistently found himself on the injury report. Entering the 2025 NFL season, the Green Bay Packers' top returning receiver will begin the year with yet another issue.
While Reed will begin the year with a Jones fracture in his left foot, he does not expect to miss any time, barring a setback. The third-year slot receiver is simply happy to be back on the field with his teammates.
“I mean, I'm working through it,” Reed said, via Jason Wilde of Channel 3000. “I didn't feel 100 percent today, but it felt great to be out there, I'll tell you that… What I've got going on, there's not much I can do. But I'm going to manage it and get rest and treat it.”
Jones fractures are broken bones and typically require surgery to heal. A Jones fracture occurs when the fifth metatarsal — the long bone on the outside of the foot connecting to one's smallest toe — breaks. Although surgery is often necessary, it can be avoided in minor cases, and healing can occur with rest.
Reporters suggested that Reed might be wise to spend time on the sidelines, to which he smiled and said injuries just “come with it,” per Wilde.
Jayden Reed leads updated Packers' receiving corps
Injury or not, Reed will still lead Green Bay's new-look receiving corps in Week 1. While most of the same unit returns, the group notably added former Texas star Matthew Golden in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Packers' receiving corps has been one of the worst in the league for years. The team hopes that Golden, its most recent first-round pick, will solve its long-standing issue of lacking a true No. 1 wideout. Green Bay has not had a dominant pass-catcher since Davante Adams left in 2022.
Without a clear-cut leader, Reed has led the Packers since joining the team in 2023. The Michigan State alum's 793 receiving yards led the team in 2023, before he paced them again with 857 yards in 2024.
While he has been Jordan Love's de facto go-to option, Reed is a notoriously volatile boom-or-bust player. He surpassed 50 receiving yards in only seven of his 18 games in 2024, while also recording fewer than 30 yards on seven occasions. However, there were moments when he looked dominant, including his 138-yard game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 1, that made it seem like he was destined for a breakout campaign.
The Packers' receivers still turn to Reed for guidance, but the team desperately hopes that Golden will reach the potential they set for him.
