The Green Bay Packers have watched Christian Watson and Matthew Golden emerge as one of the NFL’s most productive receiving duos. Jayden Reed, meanwhile, has been out since Week 2 with a neck injury that ended his season.
That combination has led to an unexpected name appearing in the discussion ahead of the Nov. 10 NFL trade deadline.
Reed, who signed a $50.25 million extension in April, has been listed as Green Bay’s top trade candidate by one national NFL writer, despite a serious injury that complicates the idea of moving him now.
Jayden Reed Named Packers Trade Candidate by FOX Sports
In an Oct. 21 feature naming one potential trade candidate for every NFL team, FOX Sports’ Henry McKenna chose Reed for the Packers. His argument centered on how Green Bay has used the 26-year-old and how well its offense has performed without him.
“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.
It’s a notable suggestion for a player Green Bay committed to less than six months ago. Reed received a three-year, $50.25 million extension with $20 million guaranteed, keeping him under contract through 2029.
He also has a strong track record when healthy. Reed led the Packers with 793 receiving yards as a rookie in 2023, then topped that with 857 yards in 2024. He scored 14 receiving touchdowns across those two seasons. He has also rushed for 310 yards and three touchdowns in his NFL career.
His 2025 campaign was limited to seven games because of injuries, and he managed four catches for 24 yards in two appearances this season before suffering the neck injury against the New York Jets on Sept. 20.
Jayden Reed Injury Complicates Any Packers Trade
The biggest obstacle to McKenna’s suggestion is Reed’s health. Matt LaFleur confirmed Reed needed neck surgery and wouldn’t play again in 2026. LaFleur said at the time that he didn’t believe the injury would end Reed’s career.
That makes a trade before November considerably harder to envision. A team acquiring Reed wouldn’t be getting immediate help for a playoff run, and Green Bay would be parting with a receiver it recently paid to keep for the long term.
The Packers’ production without him, however, gives McKenna’s argument some context. Watson has 29 catches for 538 yards and six touchdowns through six games, while Golden has 30 receptions for 501 yards and three scores. Jordan Love has thrown for 1,684 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Green Bay has also won three straight games, improving to 4-2 after beating the Dallas Cowboys 23-13 in Week 6.
There’s a contrasting conversation around Green Bay’s receiver depth. With Reed out for the year, the Packers have also been named a possible trade fit for Chargers receiver Quentin Johnston. Skyy Moore’s recent ankle injury has only added to the questions behind Watson and Golden.
McKenna’s suggestion stands in contrast to how LaFleur described Reed after his injury. “He brings so much in versatility and how we use him and just all the different roles,” LaFleur said. That was the vision behind the long-term extension Green Bay handed Reed in April.
Packers’ $50 Million WR Listed as Unexpected Trade Candidate