Rookie receiver Matthew Golden has ascended rapidly for the Green Bay Packers. After hovering on the fringes of the offense in Weeks 1 and 2, coming oh-so-close to snagging a couple of deep balls but failing to populate the box score, he has emerged as a key weapon in each of the three games since.
That period coincides with the Packers missing Jayden Reed (collarbone, foot), in addition to Christian Watson, who is off the PUP list but still working his way back from knee surgery. Last week against the Bengals, Golden had his most impressive game yet: 3 catches for 86 yards, plus 2 carries for 16 yards.
Yet Matt LaFleur says the team won’t make a point of getting him the ball more often. Caution with a rookie makes sense, but it’s also frustrating to hear the head coach cap the ceiling of what could be the Packers’ single most explosive tool in a solid but compromised receiving room.
Sep 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden (0) reacts in the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
LaFleur’s stance could needlessly limit his rookie’s growth
Here’s what LaFleur said about Golden’s future role on Sunday, via Mark Oldacres of Packers Wire:
“I mean, it just is what it is, guys. I know everybody wants us to force feed guys the ball, but it’s really not how we’ve done it around here and I don’t plan on changing that.
“That’s the beauty of having a lot of guys that we have a lot of confidence in. A lot of it is dictated by the coverage, however teams are playing us, and the quarterback’s role is to make sure the ball’s going to the right place based on what the defense presents.”
Look, the Packers still have pieces. They have Romeo Doubs, the team’s leading receiver with Reed and Watson on the sidelines. Dontayvion Wicks is contributing a couple catches per game. They have Tucker Kraft at tight end. They have, uh…Malik Heath? Savion Williams? Josh Jacobs out of the backfield?
Sure, those guys are helping. Sort of. Heath has one catch for nine yards over the past three games. Williams has four for 23 yards on the season. But for all the talk about the Packers’ deep receiver room in the preseason, losing Reed has them one more injury away from being rather threadbare. Golden’s emergence has sure made things a lot more secure on that front. In his last three games, he has 12 catches on 15 targets for 196 yards. Not bad, rookie.
Oct 12, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden (0) reacts after a 45-yard reception during the second quarter of their game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark Hoffman-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Imagesa
Why wouldn’t the Packers feed him the ball more with what he has shown so far? Yes, he’s a rookie, but a highly talented one who became the first receiver in 23 years that this franchise has drafted in the first round. He’s gaining traction, gaining momentum. That doesn’t mean you go and target him 10 times a game, but he looks perfectly capable of handling more than a handful of touches per contest.
What’s more, the offense simply needs production. The Packers have been fine on that side of the ball, but they are operating well below their potential. While that might be good enough against the Bengals, it isn’t what they should settle for on a week-to-week basis.
Doubs is a capable leader, but aside from him and Kraft, what reliable targets does Jordan Love really have to throw to? It’s also worth noting that while Kraft has put up his usual, consistent numbers, he hasn’t made a tremendous amount of noise since his 100-yard game against Washington.
Sep 28, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden (0) catches a pass over Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) during the game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Green Bay Packers at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Golden is arguably the most dynamic player LaFleur has at his disposal. At least until Watson and/or Reed comes back, he should lean into that as part of creating a more explosive offense than what the Packers have shown so far even against mediocre defenses like Cincinnati’s.
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