The first receiver drafted in Round 1 by the Green Bay Packers in over 20 years, Matthew Golden had high expectations coming into the NFL. Unfortunately, his rookie season has been marred by inconsistency and is now being derailed by shoulder and wrist injuries, leaving him with an uncertain future, to say the least.
The shoulder injury kept Golden out of Thursday’s 31-24 win over the Detroit Lions, but even though he didn’t see the field, he could be labeled as one of the game’s biggest losers. The play of fellow Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks, who had a pair of touchdowns and a game-sealing reception just under the two-minute warning, may have put Golden further in a hole that he may not be able to climb out of by the time that the 2025 season ends.
Matthew Golden Faces Uphill Battle After Dontayvion Wicks’s Big Thanksgiving
Wicks was one of the stars of Thursday’s win and seemingly came out of nowhere, considering how his season has gone so far. Entering the game with 20 catches for 213 yards in nine games, Wicks caught six passes for 94 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but his breakout wasn’t the only thing that should have discouraged Golden.
Christian Watson has been tremendous since returning from a torn ACL and continued his strong play, catching four passes for 80 yards, including a 51-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. Even Romeo Doubs, who had been fading after a hot start to the season, got involved on Thursday afternoon, catching four passes for 20 yards and a two-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
This may be head coach Matt LaFleur’s vision to spread the wealth and not rely on a No. 1 receiver. But it also makes it hard to see where Golden fits in when he returns from his latest injury. Through nine games, Golden has just 24 catches for 286 scoreless yards, and he has just 10 catches for 74 yards over his last four games, hinting at a waning role in the offense. It's making Green Bay's decision to take a first-round WR a bit more confusing, especially if the status quo remains.
With Jayden Reed’s practice window opened for his return from injured reserve, Golden is facing an uphill climb just to be a contributing member of Green Bay’s offense. If he fails to rise to the challenge, it creates more questions about what his future with the Packers will look like.
All eyes will be on Golden moving forward to see if he can flip the script in the Packers' WR room before it's too late.