Coming off a shocking 16-13 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, the Green Bay Packers are searching for answers and trying to overcome a season-ending torn ACL to tight end Tucker Kraft.
Rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden also dealt with his own injury and exited the Week 9 loss to the Panthers with a shoulder issue, leaving his status for Week 10's matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles in question. Despite a career-high 86 receiving yards in a Week 6 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, Golden's production has dipped since as Green Bay has failed to get him involved.
A decision from the Packers on Tuesday should at least raise some concerns moving forward. According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Packers are signing free-agent receiver Michael Woods II to the practice squad. During his time with the Cleveland Browns from 2022-24, Woods only had 12 total receptions for 110 yards and zero TDs, so that alone should not concern Golden. However, the fact that Green Bay signed a free-agent WR should keep him on his toes as he looks to get healthy and increase his production during the second half of the season.
Packers Rookie Matthew Golden Needs to Have a Bigger Role
There is a reason Green Bay drafted Golden in the first round; he is a dynamic athlete who can stretch the field for Jordan Love and the offense. There is certainly no reason to rush him back if his shoulder is not 100%. Golden has 23 catches for 262 receiving yards, an average of 11.4 yards per reception, yet has not recorded a TD thus far in his rookie season. His receiving yards are only eighth among rookies this season, which is certainly underwhelming for a first-round pick.
Once the rookie wideout is fully healthy and the shoulder is not an issue, Green Bay must get him more involved in the offense. His production will likely improve over time, but the decision to sign Woods to the practice squad should only motivate him that much more as he looks to leave a bigger impact on the field.
According to Pro Football Focus, Golden's 66.2 overall grade is 48th out of 76 qualified receivers. While that is slightly below average, it is not terrible considering the limited role he has had for most of the season. He is definitely off to a slow start, but if you factor in Jayden Reed being on injured reserve with a collarbone and foot injury and Christian Watson recently returning in Week 8 from a torn ACL, Green Bay's receiving room is wide-open in light of injuries.
If anything, the Woods signing could be what Golden needs to respond to the adversity and take that next step, especially with Kraft, the team's leading receiver with 489 yards and six TDs, out for the remainder of the season. Golden has the third-most receiving yards on the team, but a lot more is expected of the talented first-rounder out of Texas.