In the 2025 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected wide receiver Matthew Golden with the 23rd overall pick from the Texas Longhorns. Golden during the regular season caught only 29 passes for 361 yards receiving and zero touchdowns, along with averaging 12.4 yards per reception. He also was targeted 44 times.
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Matthew Golden (0) makes a reception for a first down during the second quarter of their wild card playoff game against the Chicago Bears Saturday, January 10, 2026 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.
Golden also rushed for 49 yards on 10 carries and zero touchdowns, along with averaging 4.9 yards per carry. During the playoff game against the Chicago Bears, Golden caught four passes for 84 yards receiving one touchdown, along with averaging 21.0 yards per reception. He was also targeted five times in that contest.
Green Bay Packers WR Matthew Golden Expected To Emerge Into Number 1 Receiver Role
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love (10) throws a pass to wide receiver Matthew Golden (0) for a first down during the second quarter of their wild card playoff game against the Chicago Bears Saturday, January 10, 2026 at Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois.
Rob Demovsky of espn.com covers the Packers. He is wondering if it is finally Golden’s time to emerge as the potential number one wide receiver with mandatory minicamp on the horizon. Demovsky said,
“After all the buzz about the Packers finally drafting a receiver in the first round last year, Golden made a minimal impact as a rookie. He didn’t catch his first touchdown until the playoff loss to Chicago. With Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks having departed in the offseason, the door is open for Golden to become a bigger part of the offense.
So far in OTAs, he has been a favorite target for QB Jordan Love.
“I think there’s a big step for guys coming into this league going into Year 2, and we expect that to happen,” coach Matt LaFleur said of Golden. “We’ve seen a lot of that out on the practice field.””
If Golden becomes the number one wide receiver here in this Packers offense, it will be a good thing for this team. Despite Christian Watson and Jayden Reed being back and locked into long-term deals for Green Bay, Golden needs to be the top guy in this offense because he has the most potential. Golden is only 22 years old and if the Bears game showed what he can do for the long term, this will be a good sign for this franchise.
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