The Packers broke with tradition by taking wide receiver Matthew Golden in the first round of the 2025 draft, but he didn’t make an immediate jump to the top of the depth chart during his rookie season.
Golden was sixth on the team with 29 catches and failed to score a touchdown during a regular season that saw him miss three games due to injuries. That was seen as underwhelming for those who thought Golden would be a difference maker right out of the gate, but the wideout had a more positive view of how things went.
“I would say it happened exactly [how it was supposed to](https://www.packers.com/news/packers-receiver-matthew-golden-has-mindset-to-attack-everything-in-year-2-june-2026),” Golden said, via the team’s website. “I feel like it developed me and \[my\] mindset to have a chip on my shoulder, just how to go about things. I wouldn’t change anything that happened last year. I feel like for this year, it’s a part of the plan, man, and I’m excited.”
Two of the receivers who were ahead of Golden last year — Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks — are now playing for other teams, which opens the door for a bigger role in Year 2. Golden said he doesn’t feel added pressure because of his confidence in what he’ll bring to the table.
“To be honest, I don’t feel like they’ve seen anything yet,” Golden said. “I have a lot of confidence in myself and I know what I have done. To me, it wasn’t anything yet. I know it’s a lot more out there. I’m excited for it. I know I’m gonna prove myself right.”
The Packers seem to be banking on that being the case as they make their offensive plans for 2026.
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