When the Green Bay Packers took rookie wide receiver Savion Williams in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, some fans were likely surprised by the decision, given that they took Matthew Golden in the first round and already have an abundance of talent.
However, unlike Golden, Williams has the skills to be used across the formation and on special teams, which is a nice option to have in your back pocket. That said, things haven’t gone well for Williams as he hasn’t made a huge impact on offense and special teams.
In Saturday night’s overtime loss to the Chicago Bears, the Packers tried to use Williams out of the backfield to give them a different look, and much to the displeasure of the fans, that plan did not work.
Williams had a pedestrian nine yards on two carries. The last time the Packers gave Williams a carry was in Week 12 against the Minnesota Vikings, which was his only touch of that game. He missed the previous three games with a foot injury.
There was a lot of excitement with Williams’ selection, especially with his size and speed (4.48 40-yard dash), but he doesn’t look like the guy we saw at TCU.
Savion Williams Failing to Live Up to Expectations as a Rookie
During Saturday night’s game, Packers fans were discussing how the rookie wide receiver looks slow every time he touches the ball. Some fans put the blame on Green Bay’s coaches, pointing out how they don’t throw him the ball and instead stick him on special teams.
This season, Williams hasn’t been spectacular on special teams, averaging 25.6 yards per kick return (25 attempts). Meanwhile, the 6-foot-4, 222-pound receiver only has 10 receptions (10 targets) for 78 yards and a touchdown.
When you have a wide receiver that’s 6-foot-4, he should be on the field catching passes, not running jet sweeps, which is a staple of the Packers’ offense. Jet sweeps should be saved more for Matthew Golden and Jayden Reed, who are shorter than Williams but also have the speed element.
When Williams played at TCU, the rookie receiver was praised for his athleticism, ability to play above the rim, and being a red zone threat. The Packers have surprisingly done none of that, which is surprising, especially given the season-ending knee injury to Tucker Kraft.
With your tight end room missing its best player, why not try to work on getting Williams on the field more, especially when you get inside the red zone? That’s only a question that Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich can answer.’
What also makes Williams’ lack of production/usage frustrating is that other rookie WRs were drafted after him and are making an impact. However, we also see Golden struggling to find his footing, so this is more of a coaching and scheme issue.
WR depth is a good thing, but it's hurting the development of Golden and Williams to the point that fans are concerned about these guys’ roles. Williams is not usurping Romeo Doubs, Reed, or Christian Watson.
With there only being two games left in the season and the Packers fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive, it's hard to envision the rookie being an x-factor, making this a lost year.