The Green Bay Packers went rogue this spring, drafting a wide receiver in the first round of the NFL Draft for the first time since the Clinton administration. But selecting Matthew Golden in the first round didn’t change the modus operandi for developing the offense.
In training camp, Golden looked ready to come out swinging, thanks to reliable hands in practice and looking the part in limited preseason snaps.
Fast forward to the end of the regular season, and Golden never became a focal point of the passing game. He finished his rookie season catching 29 of his 44 targets for 361 yards and no touchdowns, adding 49 yards on 10 rushing attempts.
If fans are expecting a bigger role for Golden in the playoffs, the coaches suggest otherwise. Head coach Matt LaFleur and offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich cooled any expectations about Golden moving into a “premier” role.
Those comments were made before Week 18, and nothing about that game contradicted them. Despite the dubious “bust” claims, Golden has the talent for a bright future in the league. But where does he stand right now as the Packers prepare for a Wild Card trip to Chicago?
After taking the content world by storm in the spring and looking like he was ready to play his role immediately, Golden didn’t get the chance to live up to even moderate expectations. He caught both of his targets in Week 1 and saw special teams play as a punt returner. Still, he never broke out as a preferred receiving option, and punt returner was a poor use for his skill set.
As a pure receiver, Matthew Golden had his best game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He caught three of his five targets for 86 yards, with a long of 35. Golden continued to more often than not catch what was thrown his way, but the Packers seldom used him for more than a quick chain mover.
Worse, around Week 10, nagging injuries sapped Golden, and he missed three games in September.
As a returner, it was clear early on that it wasn’t a good fit for Golden’s skills. Golden has the speed and release to be a deep threat and get open for the quarterback, but he isn’t the best with the ball in his hands. That’s fine. Every receiver has different skills, but putting him in the position was always a mismatch and a good way to get their new receiver hurt.
It’s why the jet sweeps, one of the few stable plays where the Packers actively try to get Golden involved, are baffling. Golden has the takeoff speed, but it’s not a good role for him.
The Packers clearly want to get Golden more opportunities. Still, the offense has so many mouths to feed, even with Tucker Kraft missing half of the season.
“Golden’s got a really bright future, very talented, and his time will come,” Stenavich said last week. “But I think right now just with the way that room is, he’s not going to be in that premier role when the playoffs come around.”
LaFleur clarified that he needs to lean on his more experienced weapons and that it isn’t a performance issue. Golden hasn’t played poorly, but with Christian Watson and Jayden Reed back in the fold, those two are your primary targets. Throw in Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks, who have had their own focal games, and it’s hard to find a good time to switch focus to the rookie. This offense already spreads the ball around, and the cost is that some players don’t get opportunities every game.
“Not many rookie players, especially first-rounders, come into a situation where there’s a bunch of guys that have established themselves,” LaFleur said. “It feels like each game there’s a different guy that’s going to lead us in receiving.”
LaFleur still believes in Golden and thinks the injury bug prevented him from getting more opportunities to build upon. “I thought he was on track,” he said, “and unfortunately had to deal with a little bit of injury that just kind of made it a little bit more choppy, I would say, in regards to his ability to get in there and have meaningful snaps.”
Matthew Golden had a chance to fight back against these statements in Week 18. Still, not even his old college quarterback, Clayton Tune, could put Golden into a premier role.
While that game should be quickly purged from any viewer’s memory, it was an especially poor sample for Golden, who dropped two of his three targets. The passing game struggled all day, and the preseason-esque offense never stood a chance against Brian Flores, and Golden couldn’t turn chicken poop into chicken salad.
With the Bears on deck in the Wild Card, Green Bay’s offense needs to be at its best after the recent rough loss. It’s not the time to completely feature a new player, though that doesn’t mean Golden won’t get targets or snaps. If Golden does do something against Chicago, maybe he gets more chances going forward.
But don’t expect the gameplan to revolve around Matthew Golden this offseason. It’s been a frustrating season for him, and fans are excited to see a first-round receiver go to work immediately. The coaching staff’s comments may be a bit of salt in the wound. Yet the staff firmly believes in Golden’s future, and he should have more opportunities to establish himself early next season.
