The Green Bay Packers haven’t had a reason to be disappointed this season, but one of the few exceptions has been the performance of Matthew Golden. A rookie with high hopes out of the University of Texas, many believed he would bring an explosive element to the Packers' offense. But through his first 10 games, Golden has managed 24 catches for 286 scoreless yards.
The limited production, combined with shoulder and wrist injuries, has some fans concerned that Golden is becoming a bust. But even with the lack of stats, Golden made it clear that there has been some development behind the scenes when talking about his rookie season this week.
“You could lose off something so small,” Golden told Brett Christopherson of The Packers Wire during an appearance on the Clubhouse Live talk show on Monday night. “I feel like…all the details matter. Like, you’ve got to be on point. You’ve got to know what you’re doing, and everybody’s got to be on the same page.”
Golden was also asked if there were weeks when he would get a mental break playing an inferior team during his time in college. But he noted that that’s not the case in the pros, as each team is a worthy opponent.
“You know, there’s no time to relax [and] sit back,” Golden said. “I mean every game whether it’s a good team or bad, I mean, everybody’s good. So you know, each team has their own good players. And like I said, man, we’re doing a great job of staying together and going out and competing.”
Matthew Golden’s Slow Rookie Year Could Set Him Up for a Second-Year Breakout
Golden’s comments are typical of most rookie receivers in the NFL. While some teams in college may have had one or two elite players, each team is composed of 53 players who were at another level to make it to the pros. The pool of talent is simply stronger, and Golden is learning what it takes to compete at an elite level.
While Golden could simply go out and make a play at Texas, everything has to be on point for the Packers. This process is even more difficult if he was relied on as one of the keys to the offense, but Golden has the luxury to soak it all in behind players who have already gone through this learning curve.
Consider Christian Watson, who had 41 catches for 611 yards and seven touchdowns in his rookie season in 2022. But due to injuries and his learning curve, he hasn’t become a top option in Green Bay’s offense until this season, with 25 catches for 452 yards and five touchdowns in his first seven games after returning from a torn ACL.
Dontayvion Wicks is another player who has ridden the roller coaster. While his production has declined in his rookie year, it feels like he’s beginning to get more run with the offense, grabbing 26 passes for 307 yards and two touchdowns this season, including six catches for 94 yards and both TDs in a Thanksgiving win over the Detroit Lions.
By learning lessons early in their career, they’ve become late bloomers in Matt LaFleur’s offense. With a season of new information behind him, Golden should know what he needs to do to get on the field in his second season and hopefully go on to have a successful career that lives up to his lofty expectations.