Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden only had 2 catches for 46 yards in the 2025 preseason, but in his limited action in the preseason games, Golden has flashed glimpses of that chance to be a difference maker at wide receiver.
Golden has consistently made plays in both training camp practices and scrimmages that have shown him to have the potential to be the team's Number 1 wide receiver that has been missing since Davante Adams departed following the 2021 season.
Ohhh baby, that was Golden pic.twitter.com/K3z3JoYNlU
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) August 23, 2025
From 2022 to 2024, the Packers’ top three wide receivers have been Romeo Doubs, Christian Watson and Jayden Reed. The three have been very close statistically.
In three seasons since Adams was traded, Doubs leads the team with 147 catches for 1,700 yards and 15 touchdowns. From 2022-24 Watson has 98 catches for 1,653 yards and 14 touchdowns. Reed is next with 119 catches for 1,650 yards and 14 touchdowns.
However, this stretch is the first in a long-time where the Packers did not have an established No. 1 wide receiver. Dating back to 1988 with the drafting of Sterling Sharpe, in almost every season, the Packers had a top wide receiver that opposing defenses had to account for.
Good morning, enjoy another angle of this Matthew Golden catch pic.twitter.com/LckslBXuWg
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) August 24, 2025
From 1988 to 1994 it was Sterling Sharpe. From 1995 to midway through 1996 it was Robert Brooks. Following Brooks, it was Antonio Freeman from 1997 to 2001. Following Freeman, it was Donald Driver from 2002 to 2009. Next was Greg Jennings from 2008 to 2011. Jordy Nelson then took the baton as the team’s go-to receiver from 2011 to 2016. It was then passed to Adams from 2017 to 2021, where he put together the team’s best statistical seasons from a wide receiver since the prime years of Sharpe.
The team’s last 1st round wide receiver, Javon Walker, also had an impressive season in 2004 as the team’s go-to guy, before a knee injury in 2005 and subsequent trade in 2006.
Best seasons for Packers WRs
Year Player Rec Yds TDs
1992 Sterling Sharpe 108* 1461* 13*
1995 Robert Brooks 102 1497 13
1998 Antonio Freeman 84 1424* 14
2004 Javon Walker 89 1382 12
2006 Donald Driver 92 1295 8
2010 Greg Jennings 76 1265 12
2014 Jordy Nelson 98 1519 13
2021 Davante Adams 123^ 1553^ 11
* Led NFL, ^Packers record -- Sharpe and Adams also led the NFL in receiving touchdowns with a team-record 18 touchdowns in 1994 and 2020, respectively.
When the Packers selected Golden, it was with the idea that he would be able to play all of their receiver positions and become that reliable, consistent target that can grow with franchise quarterback Jordan Love.
Lance Zierlein’s assessment of Golden going into the draft:
“Golden works all three levels of the field with similar consistency and productivity. His route-running needs refinement, but he does a decent job of altering tempo and separating at break points. Golden has the ability to play all three receiver spots. He also has the agility and body control to turn near-misses into highlight catches. Focus drops still pepper his play, but he’s a willing participant in traffic and took command of contested catches with better physicality and catch strength in 2024. Golden’s starting-level traits and big leap forward as a go-to playmaker have him primed to become a productive catch-maker with the potential to develop into a WR1 in the future.”
What’s been impressive about Golden this summer has been his ability to beat defenders with his route runnings, as well as being able to make contested catches. This ability to do these two things consistently is what’s been lacking from the four top wide receivers the last two seasons: Doubs, Watson, Reed and Wicks.
Had a fun conversation with someone about #Packers WR Matthew Golden and what he’s seen from the rook:
“Green Bay isn’t a team that uses a Round 1 pick on a WR. When they do, you know they saw something...”
Golden’s speed and route-running have been off the charts so far — and… pic.twitter.com/8qdPr2wSgW
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 15, 2025
If Golden is able to provide the offense with a legitimate number 1 wide receiver as a rookie, it allows the other four to flourish in other roles: Reed as an inside slot receiver, Doubs and Wicks as intermediate possession receivers, Watson as a field-stretching deep threat.
Current Packers WRs best seasons
Year Player Rec Yds TDs
2022 Christian Watson 41 611 7
2023 Romeo Doubs 59 674 8
2023 Dontayvion Wicks 39 581 4
2024 Jayden Reed 55 857 6