The Green Bay Packers used a first-round pick on Matthew Golden in 2025 with the expectation that his speed and playmaking ability would become a major part of their passing game.
One year later, NFL evaluators appear ready for that jump.
Sports Illustrated’s Matt Verderame included Golden among 10 young players poised for breakout seasons in 2026 after contacting more than a dozen sources from NFL coaching staffs and front offices.
Golden was one of only two second-year players on the list and the lone Packers player selected.
The recognition arrives after a relatively quiet rookie regular season for Golden, who caught 29 passes on 44 targets for 361 yards and no touchdowns in 14 games. He did provide a glimpse of a top-tier potential in Green Bay’s playoff loss to Chicago, finishing with four catches for 84 yards and his first NFL touchdown.
Now the opportunity has begun to match the pedigree.
Golden Lands on NFL Breakout List
Verderame wrote that the Packers have been giving “rave reviews” of their 2025 first-round selection and pointed to Golden as one of Green Bay’s training camp standouts.
That evaluation lines up with what the Packers have seen throughout August.
Golden delivered one of the biggest plays of Family Night at Lambeau Field when he caught a 57-yard touchdown from Jordan Love during an 11-on-11 period. Packers.com reported that Golden had been producing a big play or two in practically every practice through the first two weeks of camp.
“The concept that we had on obviously is to beat that coverage,” Golden told Packers.com after the touchdown. “Jordan stepped up in the pocket, threw a great ball. All I had to do was come down with it.”
The Packers’ official site also noted Golden played just 53% of the offensive snaps as a rookie. His production was modest under those circumstances, but Green Bay has spent the offseason creating a straighter route to an expanded role.
That matters for a player with weighty expectations. Golden, the No. 23 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft, signed a four-year, $17.58 million rookie contract that is fully guaranteed, via Spotrac.
Packers Cleared a Bigger Role for Golden
Green Bay’s offseason decisions offered perhaps the clearest indication of how the organization views Golden.
Romeo Doubs left in free agency and signed with New England in March, while the Packers traded Dontayvion Wicks to Philadelphia in April for a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 sixth-rounder. Those moves removed two receivers who combined for 97 catches and 1,245 yards for Green Bay in 2025.
That leaves Golden positioned alongside Christian Watson and Jayden Reed as one of the go-to-have-it pieces in the receiver room.
Sports Illustrated also pointed to a certain factor that could increase Golden’s opportunities early in the season. Josh Jacobs is on the commissioner’s exempt list, which could push Green Bay toward a heavier passing approach while its veteran running back is unavailable.
Golden already showed late last season that he can create explosive plays when featured. His playoff performance against Chicago included 21 yards per reception, and his summer work with Love has surfaced another indication that their connection is growing.
The Packers do not need Golden to become their only featured target. Watson, Reed and tight end Tucker Kraft give Love multiple established options. But Golden has the combination of draft pedigree, a clearer role and outside expectations that weren’t present to the same degree during his rookie season.
If the camp momentum carries into September, his 361-yard debut could quickly look like little more than a starting point.
Packers’ $17.6 Million 1st-Rounder Gets Breakout Verdict From NFL Execs, Coaches