Packers WR Jayden Reed 'doing OK,' but 'too early' to tell if he'll play again this season; RT Zach Bako-Bewele out for season with knee injury

The Green Bay Packers provided significant updates on Tuesday regarding two of their key injured offensive starters.

Starting right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele confirmed that he's out for the season with a torn patellar tendon in his right knee. And head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters that "it's too early" to tell if wide receiver Jayden Reed will be able to return this season from a neck injury.

Reed left Sunday's win over the New York Jets with the neck injury that required an overnight stay in New Jersey . He took direct contact to the crown of his helmet on a tackle that left him lying on his back after the hit. The Packers announced that he had movement in his extremities, but he did not travel back with the team Sunday night for medical-observation purposes.

Reed is back in Green Bay as of Tuesday, and LaFleur confirmed it was a neck injury amid conflicting reports that he'd sustained a back injury. LaFleur told reporters that he thinks Reed is "doing OK." But as of now, Reed's status moving forward and for the rest of the season is unclear.

"He's back in Green Bay and, obviously, still going through a lot of testing and consulting with doctors," LaFleur said of Reed. "From what I'm told, he's doing OK."

LaFleur was then asked about Reed's status for the rest of the season.

"It's way too early for that right now," LaFleur said. "He's just got a lot — there's a lot going on."

The precise nature of Reed's injury is unclear.

Bako-Bewele needs surgery; his season is over

Bako-Bewele's status is clear. He told reporters at his locker Tuesday that he'd suffered a complete tear of the patellar tendon in his right knee and needs surgery. The injury is to the same tendon that sustained a partial tear in Week 15 and ended his season early in 2025.

"I've just got to move forward," Bako-Bewele told reporters at his locker. "It's definitely not what I anticipated happening. You've just got to get back to work and start thinking about next year."

Bako-Bewele, 27, is playing on a four-year, $88 million contract extension that runs through the 2029 season. When healthy, he's arguably Green Bay's best offensive lineman.

Bako-Bewele sustained the injury in the first quarter of Sunday's game. The Packers didn't know the extent of the injury at the time, but head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters postgame that Bako-Bewele could be out "for a long time."

Second-year pro Anthony Belton projects to move into Bako-Bewele's spot at right tackle. A second-round pick in the 2025 draft, Belton played in 14 games, including seven starts, as a rookie last season.

With Bako-Bewele recovering from his previous patellar tendon injury, Belton got reps as Green Bay's starting right tackle during the offseason. He'll now have the opportunity to establish himself as a starting-caliber NFL tackle. The Packers are certainly hoping that's the case.

Are Packers still a realistic Super Bowl contender?

A Packers team that started the season with Super Bowl aspirations looks little like a contender through two weeks. Green Bay gave up 22 unanswered fourth-quarter points in a Week 1 loss to the rival Minnesota Vikings , then narrowly avoided an 0-2 start with a rally from a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit for a 20-17 overtime win over the Jets on Sunday.

With starting running back Josh Jacobs on the commissioner's exempt list , the Packers rank last in the NFL in rushing with 64.5 yards per game. Now they've lost arguably their best offensive lineman. Reed's playing status, meanwhile, has taken a back seat to concern for his general health.

The shorthanded Packers face a short Week 3 with a Thursday night game against the Atlanta Falcons . From there, they'll face the Buccaneers, Bears, Cowboys, Lions, Panthers , Patriots and Vikings before a Week 11 bye.

The good news on the horizon for Green Bay is that All-Pro pass rusher Micah Parsons remains optimistic about his return from last season's ACL tear amid reports that a Week 6 return vs. his former Cowboys is a possibility.