With standout tight end Tucker Kraft done for the rest of the season because of a torn ACL, the Green Bay Packers will slightly have to revamp their offense to make up for that loss.
Obviously, fellow TE Luke Musgrave will play a significant part in filling the void left by Kraft, but with the abundance of wide receiver talent that Green Bay has, this could be the best time to get rookie wideout Matthew Golden going in the passing game.
The young wide receiver exited last week’s game with a shoulder injury, which was the last thing fans wanted to see after Kraft’s departure. However, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur provided some good news on Thursday about Golden ahead of their Week 10 contest vs. the Philadelphia Eagles.
LaFleur told reporters that the rookie receiver will be limited in practice today, and they will continue to find ways to get him the ball to make more plays, per Ryan Wood of Green Bay Press-Gazette.
Packers Quickly Setting Up Matthew Golden Breakout in Week 10
If you’re a Packers fan, this is exactly what you want to hear. The first-year playmaker has a ton of talent and is a gamebreaker when he gets the ball in his hands. Without Kraft, they’ll need more big plays in the passing game from Golden, but also everyone else.
“Everybody has to pull a little bit more, do a little bit more. It's just not going to go on one position group. We need it from everybody, from the guys up front to our runners, receivers, and our quarterbacks,” LaFleur said via Jason B. Hirschhorn of The Leap.
The first-round pick hasn’t gotten off to the fast start that everybody thought he would when the Packers drafted him in the spring. In the first five games of this season, Golden averaged 3.8 targets and 42.4 yards per game, including an 86-yard performance (three catches/five targets) against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6.
However, over the last three games, the former University of Texas standout has only averaged 3.3 targets and 16.7 receiving yards per game.
For the Packers to get where they want to go in 2025, they’ll need to find ways to get Golden the ball in space, but also utilize him down the field. There aren’t many cornerbacks in the NFL who can keep up with a wide receiver who has 4.29-second 40-yard dash speed.
Therefore, if Golden doesn’t suffer any setback over the next few days, the Packers should look to attack the Eagles’ secondary. Philadelphia’s CB2 spot has been an ongoing issue and a huge weakness this season, no matter who they throw out there (Kelee Ringo, Adoree’ Jackson, or Jakorian Bennett).
Granted, the Eagles did make some additions last week, which included acquiring ex-Packers CB Jaire Alexander. However, it's unlikely those guys will play a ton, or at all, giving Golden an ideal matchup against Ringo, Jackson, and Bennett.
A huge game under the primetime lights at Lambeau Field from Golden could go a long way in getting this rookie back on track.