The Green Bay Packers bucked typical trends when they selected wide receiver Matthew Golden with their top pick in the 2025 NFL draft.
With Green Bay finally leaping to draft a wide receiver in the first round, fans and pundits likely assumed that Golden would be a bigger part of the offense than he has been through Week 4. Golden can only control so much when it comes to his usage, but it is safe to say that his snap rate of 59% is far lower than anyone would have expected. That rate is one of the main reasons why Golden only has 11 receptions, on 14 targets, for 126 receiving yards thus far.
This is why it is so important for the former Texas Longhorn to make the most of every opportunity that comes his way. That point must be hammered home by head coach Matt LaFleur and special teams coordinator Rich Bisaccia as Golden is letting potential game-changing touches go by the wayside, for one reason or another.
Matthew Golden Must Be Much More Aggressive When Returning Punts
After running a 4.29 40-yard dash at the combine, there is no doubt that Golden possesses elite athleticism and top-end speed. This is what makes his overly cautious approach to fielding punts so perplexing. Through Week 4, Golden has been punted at 13 times this season (h/t @JuMosq), but he has only managed to catch five of those return opportunities while the ball was still in the air, leading to 28 total return yards entering the bye week.
There are obvious instances where it makes sense for Golden to let the ball roll past him. However, the troubling thing we've seen from the first-year pro thus far has more to do with him allowing the ball to hit the ground in front of him before he fields it and begins his attempt at a return.
There are two reasons why this is a major issue that needs to be addressed during the Packers' bye week. First, those are priceless seconds he is giving away to the opposing team to get down the field and set up their coverage. Second, Golden is losing any momentum he would gain by catching the ball on the fly.
Every yard matters in the NFL. Golden has been passing on potential opportunities to help the Packers in the return game. This cannot continue, and it is squarely on Bisaccia to address it. LaFleur has already publicly put his special teams coordinator on notice, so there is no doubt that he has his eyes firmly locked in on this area of the roster entering the bye.
If this issue continues by the time Week 6 rolls around and Green Bay hosts the struggling Cincinnati Bengals, the criticism of Bisaccia will only increase. Golden could also be left with less of an opportunity to be a difference-maker, as this approach to punt returns is not going to get the job done for a team with championship aspirations.