The Matthew Golden experience for the Green Bay Packers continued its up-and-down trajectory on Monday with an unsettling injury designation for the second-year wide receiver.
Green Bay hosts the Carolina Panthers on the upcoming edition of “Thursday Night Football.” So while the Packers did not practice on Monday, but rather engaged in a walkthrough, NFL rules stipulate that the team produce an estimated injury report. In other words, a full explanation of the injured players’ statuses if the session constituted an actual practice.
The news wasn’t great across the board for a banged up Packers group who felt that poor officiating cost them a win inside the division against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field on Sunday afternoon. Some of the greatest injury Monday’s report added to that perceived insult involved Golden as a DNP [did not practice], and several other meaningful players joined him with that designation.
Jason B. Hirschhorn of The Leap shared the full injury report via X on Monday evening.
FULL Benjamin St-Juste
LIMITED Aaron Banks
DNP Anthony Campbell Zaire Franklin Travis Glover Matthew Golden Sean Rhyan Devonte Wyatt
Packers estimated practice report for Monday:
FULL: Benjamin St-Juste
LIMITED: Aaron Banks
DNP: Anthony Campbell, Zaire Franklin, Travis Glover, Matthew Golden, Sean Rhyan, Devonte Wyatt
Matthew Golden Remains Critical Component of Packers Offense, as Josh Jacobs’ Return Fails to Spark Run Game
Golden was a limited practice participant all week heading into the contest against the Lions due to a shoulder injury. He finished the game with six catches for 39 yards.
The second-year wideout, who struggled throughout his rookie campaign, has tallied 36 catches for 540 yards and three scores on 69 targets this season as a crucial piece of a Packers offense that has struggled mightily to run the football. However, Golden has also recorded seven drops, including multiple passes that would have resulted in touchdowns had he caught them.
Despite Golden’s issues holding onto the football, he appears certain to remain integral to the Packers’ offensive attack moving forward. The return of running back Josh Jacobs did little to help the league’s worst run game on Sunday, as Green Bay mustered a total of 60 yards on 19 carries (3.2 yards per attempt).
Jacobs logged 11 carries for only 36 yards, though he did add five receptions for 55 yards and one of Green Bay’s two TDs on the day.
Sean Rhyan Likely to Miss Multiple Weeks With Ankle Injury
Other considerable concerns on Monday’s injury report include defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt, who left the contest with an ankle issue but later returned.
Center Sean Rhyan is liable to miss multiple weeks with an ankle issue of his own, which puts the Packers in a tough spot at center. The team sent backup center Jacob Monk to the injured reserve list (IR) with his own ankle injury on Monday, which means he will sit out for at least the next four games.
Meanwhile, linebacker Zaire Franklin suffered a hairline fracture in practice last week and didn’t play in Detroit. And while Franklin isn’t heading to IR, it strains credulity to imagine he’ll be ready to roll against the Panthers at Lambeau Field just three days from now.
Packers Share Disconcerting Matthew Golden Injury Update