Green Bay Packers second year wide receiver Matthew Golden did not live up to expectations in his first NFL season. However, the hype is still quite high for the former first-round pick.
Matt Schneidman of The Athletic made a bold prediction for the Packers. He called for Golden to lead the team in catches, receiving yards, and touchdown catches.
Schneidman made the case to write off his rookie season and to focus on the opportunity that he has in front of him.
“The Packers’ 2025 first-round pick caught just 29 passes for 361 yards last year,” wrote Schneidman. “He didn’t score a touchdown in the regular season. Golden battled injuries, but his rookie year fell well short of everyone’s expectations anyway. That wasn’t for a lack of skill, though, and his repertoire has again been evident this summer during another productive training camp. With Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks elsewhere, Golden should see far more targets and prove why the Packers took a wide receiver in the first round last year for the first time since 2002.”
Doubs and Wicks combined for more than 1,000 yards last season. If Golden can replicate their production in a similar role, he will have a strong chance to lead the Packers in receiving.
Green Bay Packers WR Matthew Golden Could Lead Team in All Categories
The Packers losing two receivers and replacing them both with one player should refine the passing game a bit more. Golden will have competition for targets, but the skill set of Christian Watson and Jayden Reed complements him very well.
Watson is a deep threat who leans on his speed to create big plays. The team can utilize him to create spacing underneath. Jayden Reed is their slot. They can move him all over the field and get the ball in his hands.
Teams after have to shift their coverage for these two, and it should put Golden in a lot of one-on-one scenarios. He will just have to beat his man.
Golden was deemed one of the better route runners in the class when he came out of Texas, which is why he went in the first round. So, now that he is in a role where he is asked to do what he does well, he could thrive.
Golden Has Excuses for Rookie Season Woes
When Golden was drafted, the plan was always for him to ease into the offense. However, when Watson and Reed got hurt and Golden still could not produce, it raised fears.
Still, Golden was being asked to play the roles that complement his skill set, not the plays that highlight him. So, he struggled in his rookie season. The issue is that receivers taken as high as Golden and producing as little as him rarely pan out.
Golden was in a particular situation, so it is easier to absolve some of the issues for him. At the same time, it is a bold prediction, because there is just as good of a chance that Golden is a bust.
Packers Insider Projects Explosion for Former First-Round Pick