Packers add guard Kevin Zeitler and lose receiver Jayden Reed for the rest of the season

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Veteran guard Kevin Zeitler is heading home to try to boost the Green Bay Packers' slumping offense, which suffered one more setback with the news that wide receiver Jayden Reed will miss the rest of the season.

Zeitler is the latest experienced guard to sign with Green Bay as the Packers attempt to strengthen their biggest area of weakness. The Packers signed Laken Tomlinson to their 53-man roster and added Mekhi Becton to their practice squad Monday.

The 36-year-old Zeitler, who made a Pro Bowl in 2023, grew up in the Milwaukee suburb of Waukesha. He played in college at Wisconsin before beginning his NFL career in 2012.

“Growing up a big Pack fan, enjoying the Brett Favre era and all that. Just to come back and kind of know the history, be back in the state of Wisconsin, it’s pretty great,” Zeitler said after practice Wednesday. “My family’s pretty excited. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

Also Wednesday, the Packers announced Reed would undergo season-ending surgery. He injured his neck in the first quarter of the Packers’ 20-17 overtime victory over the New York Jets on Sept. 20.

Right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele and Reed were carted off the field on consecutive plays, and neither will play again this season.

“We will definitely be missing J-Reed,” quarterback Jordan Love said. “He is one of one. He is a big-time player, obviously holding down the slot position for us. He does so many great things.”

Reed’s absence will force the Packers to lean more on Christian Watson and Matthew Golden. Watson has 17 catches for 284 yards and four touchdowns, and Golden has 15 catches for 253 yards and one score.

Green Bay’s main issue has been the offensive line’s inability to establish any rhythm.

Rookie fifth-round draft pick Jager Burton started last Thursday's loss to Atlanta in place of injured left guard Aaron Banks. Right guard Jacob Monk had only one career start before this season. Neither player has been effective.

Banks and Monk didn't practice Wednesday. Banks is dealing with knee and toe injuries while Monk has a quadriceps issue.

The Packers (1-2) would like to get their veteran newcomers on the field as soon as possible, perhaps as soon as Sunday at Tampa Bay (0-3). All three of Green Bay's new guards were first-round draft picks.

“I think it just calms down the O-line,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “When you have veterans in there who have been through the war — certainly we’ve got young guys playing beside them — that can definitely settle things down.”

Green Bay failed to protect Love and gained just 17 yards on nine carries in its 35-14 loss to the Falcons. Love said Wednesday he needs to start making quicker decisions and noted how the pressure he's been facing has impacted his fundamentals.

“Going back and watching this last game, there’s definitely some plays — especially later in the game — where we talked about my feet are just getting a little bit off,” Love said. “And that definitely is some of the pressure being a factor in that. In that scenario, I’ve just got to be better right there.”

Zeitler has made 213 starts for Cincinnati, Cleveland, the New York Giants, Baltimore, Detroit and Tennessee while primarily playing right guard. He underwent surgery for a leg injury after playing for Tennessee last season.

“The best part about playing for all these teams over the years is I’ve had access to almost every type of offense here and there,” Zeitler said. “So right now it’s just learning the terminology, but all the concepts I’ve done in some way, shape or form. Now it’s just learning how the guys talk, how they space themselves, how it all works out.”

Tomlinson has played for Detroit (2015-16), San Francisco (2017-21), the New York Jets (2022-23), Seattle (2024) and Houston (2025). All but one of his 162 starts have come at left guard.

Becton was a right guard for the Philadelphia Eagles when they won the Super Bowl in the 2024 season. He started 14 games for the Los Angeles Chargers last season and had surgery in March for a torn labrum.

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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) is taken off the field following an injury during an NFL football game againt the New York Jets in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich speaks with linemen Kevin Zeitler (70) and Mekhi Becton during practice Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Steve Megargee)

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) is taken off the field following an injury during an NFL football game againt the New York Jets in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Green Bay Packers guard Kevin Zeitler (70) walks past fellow lineman Travis Glover on the sideline during practice Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP Photo/Steve Megargee)

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (11) is tended to on the field during an NFL football game against the New York Jets in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Cristiano Ronaldo walked out on Portugal’s training camp on Wednesday, hours after coach Jorge Jesus said the star forward would not start the game against Denmark in the Nations League on Thursday.

Ronaldo said that “in time” he would “tell the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons” behind his departure.

“Following the national team coach’s news conference, and after a conversation with the president of the Portuguese football federation, I decided to leave the national team’s training camp,” he said on Instagram, adding that he has always “dedicated” himself to the side.

“Now is the time to wish good luck to Portugal and to all my teammates, without exception.”

The Portuguese federation said only that Ronaldo left the training camp and that the team's preparations would continue with the remaining 24 squad members.

“The entire delegation remains fully focused on the national team’s upcoming fixtures and on achieving our goals,” the federation said.

Jesus had said in the pre-game news conference he was not planning to start Ronaldo, but dismissed the notion there was a feud between the pair.

Jesus said every player knows the coach makes the decisions, and that Ronaldo told him he would abide by whatever choices he makes.

The coach added the “rules are the same for everyone” and that Gonçalo Ramos would start up front against Denmark if everything went to plan.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen in the game,” Jesus said. “If we need him (Ronaldo) to play (at some point), he’ll play. If not, he won’t.”

Ronaldo, the all-time leading scorer in men’s international soccer with 146 goals and pursuing the milestone of 1,000 career goals, didn’t play on Sunday in Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway. He has not trained with the rest of the group since, sparking widespread rumors about a possible feud with Jesus.

Jesus had said Al-Nassr forward Ronaldo would practice normally with the rest of the squad on Wednesday, but the player ended by leaving the training camp after the coach's words during the news conference.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo, who has 979 career goals, had said recently that this Saudi Pro League season is likely to be the last of his professional career.

Jesus, who worked with Ronaldo for about a year in Saudi Arabia, said the player did not refuse to practice after having been left on the bench.

“It seems like there was an issue between us, but there was no issue,” Jesus said. “I’m the one who makes the decisions and everybody knows that.”

Jesus acknowledged he had told Ronaldo he would likely play against Norway, but changed his mind because of the circumstances of the match.

He said it was a mistake to send Ronaldo to warm up for as long as he did and then not use him. Jesus added “any player” would be upset about that.

But Jesus did not apologize for telling Ronaldo that he was likely to play.

“I can promise whatever I want, I’m the coach,” Jesus said. “No player will ever make a decision for me.”

Jesus said, though, that someone with the stature of Ronaldo deserved a different type of attention from coaches “because of his career and history in soccer.”

Jesus, who took over the squad from Roberto Martínez after the World Cup, said he ended up being “obligated” to have a meeting with Ronaldo because of the noise created in Portugal over the situation.

But he maintained there was no “Ronaldo case” to talk about and there was nothing to solve between him and the player because nothing was wrong.

Jesus said it was normal that the federation president, Pedro Proença, also met with the pair.

“We had to talk the three of us, but I had already talked with Chris and the president didn’t have to solve anything because there was nothing to solve,” Jesus said.

Ronaldo started Portugal’s 1-0 win over Wales last Thursday but was substituted in the 67th minute. On Tuesday, he posted on Instagram a photo of him wearing the kit accompanied by the country’s flag and a heart emoji.

Portugal leads Group A4 of the Nations League with six points from two matches, three points more than Denmark and Norway. Wales is last with no points.

Portugal also hosts Norway on Sunday.

It was not immediately clear whether Ronaldo’s departure would extend beyond the current international break.

Wednesday's news comes just as Ronaldo's long-time rival, Lionel Messi, is set for his farewell match with Argentina next week.

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus enters the field for the Nations League soccer match between Portugal and Wales in Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus enters the field for the Nations League soccer match between Portugal and Wales in Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus stands by the pitch before the Nations League soccer match between Portugal and Wales in Lisbon, Thursday, Sept. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo starts on the bench during a Nations League soccer match between between Norway and Portugal, in Oslo, Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB Scanpix via AP)