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GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – NOVEMBER 28: Jayden Reed #11 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates with teammate Christian Watson #9 after scoring a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins during the second quarter of the game at Lambeau Field on November 28, 2024 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)
The Green Bay Packers are not quite yet compliant with the 2026 salary cap demands as free agency looms in less than three weeks time.
Although there are multiple routs to becoming so, including the now-widely expected move to release veteran interior offensive lineman Elgton Jenkins, which would save the Packers $20 million against the cap in 2026, no one quite knows what exactly the plan is for general manager Brian Gutekunst and co., who often find a way to do the unexpected once or twice per offseason.
And this year’s surprise, according to Jacob Westendorf of Packers on Sports Illustrated, is that the team will trade wide receiver Jayden Reed this offseason, prior to the 2026 NFL Draft in April.
Packers Tipped to Move Off Jayden Reed
“Look at the contracts, look at what the Packers did in the draft last year. The Green Bay Packers love extra draft capital. The Packers are going to trade Jayden Reed before the draft for a day two draft choice.” Westendorf said on Andy Herman’s Pack-A-Day Podcast.
“Now my thinking on this is: I don’t think the Packers are going to be in the business of giving Jayden Reed a long term contract. And I think they’re going to give one to Christian Watson. I think they’re going to give one to Tucker Kraft. They drafted Matthew Golden who is small. Jayden Reed is also small…they also drafted Savion Williams.”
With the litany of wideouts on the roster, including Reed, Williams, Golden, Watson and 2023 fifth round pick Dontayvion Wicks – all of whom will be looked at players that can produce for the team in 2026, Westendorf does not see Green Bay giving Reed a hefty extension – particularly given his smaller stature.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they add a guy in the third, fourth, fifth round this year either as a some depth at the back of that room. And then Reed is going to be a guy who…are you paying Jayden Reed a three year $30 million contract extension a year – so he gets that Jameson Williams contract or Khalil Shakir?”
Packers Could Prioritize Defensive Stars Over Reed
Westendorf also points out that part of the decision to trade Reed could come down to the team needing to free up space to pay some of their emerging stars on defense.
“After ’26 and ’27 upcoming years. Edgerrin Cooper, Javon Bullard, Evan Williams, Lukas Van Ness to a lesser extent, Devonte Wyatt to a lesser extent. There are guys coming up that need contracts on that side of the ball as well.
At some point you have to start making some decisions that are tougher when you pay your quarterback a gazillion dollars and you pay Micah Parsons a gazillion dollars. Reed is small, he’s been dinged a lot the last two years and I don’t think that’s his fault, its just smaller players tend to get hurt a little bit more.
And I don’t think the Packers are going to be in the business of giving him a long-term contract.”
The idea has not been touted much at all in Packers media circles, but in principle the move makes a lot of sense. If Reed is not in the team’s plans moving forward, and the team can get something equivalent to an early third rounder in 2026 in exchange for his services, it could certainly make sense to move off him this spring.
Daniel Arwas Daniel Arwas is a sports writer who covers the NFL for Heavy.com. Daniel began his career in sports writing in 2022 and has covered the NFL and college football for Gridiron Heroics and The Hammer. More about Daniel Arwas
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