The Green Bay Packers aren’t short on weapons.
They weren’t in 2024 either, but this season feels different. The change began at the 2025 NFL Draft, held in Green Bay. With Lambeau Field in the shadows, the Packers made a memorable first-round selection, taking wide receiver Matthew Golden from Texas.
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Golden Ticket for Love?
The selection of Golden was the first time the Packers took a WR in the first round since 2002 (Javon Walker). Packers fans roared with approval and quarterback Jordan Love likely had a huge grin when the pick was announced.
Love and the Packers are hoping they can next step this postseason. With Golden in tow, Love and Golden could be the connection to ultimately lift the Packers to glory.
For the Packers, just getting to the playoffs this year won’t cut it. Two years ago, the Packers made the playoffs and won a game trouncing the Cowboys before being bounced by San Francisco. Last year, Green Bay were eliminated in the Wild Card round by eventual Super Bowl Champions, the Philadelphia Eagles.
With the receiving corps, while the depth was there last year, in the playoffs the group needed THAT guy. The Packers hope Golden checks that box.
While he hasn’t had a breakout game yet, Love looked to him in a big moment in Week 4. Down 40-37 in OT, the Packers faced a 4th-and-6 and Love found Golden for the first down conversion. It was great to see and a moment that could be a turning point for the connection.
Packers Needed a True No. 1 WR
The Golden pick at No. 23 surprised many, not only because of the history between the Packers and WRs, but because of how deep that group was.
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Golden could ultimately set a hierarchy of sorts for the WR weapons as the season goes on. The rookie wowed in training camp and in limited preseason snaps.
He’s showed off the hands and speed that made him a first-round pick so far this season. If he can become the pseudo-No. 1 WR that Green Bay has been searching for it could help determine roles.
He wasn’t featured much through two weeks, but Golden’s big play potential means defenses are aware when he’s on the field. He is also open and gaining separation despite the lack of targets thus far.
Now he can hopefully build off of a solid Week 4 and start to produce consistently.
When Reed returns from his broken collarbone injury, he could be a dynamic slot guy. Dontayvion Wicks could be an outside pairing with Watson, who’s still working his way back from a torn ACL.
Tucker Kraft has emerged as a budding star at tight end, amassing 50 catches, 707 yards and a team-leading seven touchdowns in 2024. In Week 2, Kraft had a strong performance with six catches, 124 yards and a touchdown. Luke Musgrave has shown flashes when on the field as well.
Any of the aforementioned receivers have shown flashes of stardom, but it’s Golden who has the most potential to emerge out of the pack.
Love Can Take the Step to Stardom
The over-under on passing yards for Love this year was set at 3,600.5. With the WR room in Green Bay and the Golden addition, if Love stays healthy, he may smash that number.
Last year, Love was banged up, leaving the Packers opener early with a sprained MCL. He played in only 15 games and still threw for 3,389 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He averaged just below 226 yards per game and completed over 63% of his passes.
Through four games this season, Love has thrown for exactly 1,000 yards or 250 yards per game.
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If he throws for 225 yards per game and plays in every game, he’ll amass 3,825 yards, meaning Love throwing for 4,000 yards and 30 touchdowns with a deep roster of usable pass-catchers shouldn’t shock people.
Golden only had two catches for 16 yards in Week 1 and didn’t have a catch in Week 2. He did record 15 rushing yards and was missed twice for what would have been huge gains against the Commanders. The chemistry will come with time for the rookie WR and Love.
The last two weeks Golden has been involved more, particularly in Week 4. Golden snagged five catches for 58 yards on six targets and the offense overall looked dynamite.
As chemistry continues to improve between Love and Golden, and with Josh Jacobs in the backfield, defenses will have a much more difficult time making decisions; whether it be go heavy in the box and leave 1-on-1s for Golden and others or go light in the box and risk giving up big chunk runs for Jacobs.
Packers Seek Consistency Offensively
The Packers’ offense has been up-and-down through four weeks. The addition of a potential No. 1 WR in Golden could unlock Love’s ticket to stardom.
The Packers are still looking to find ways to get Golden the ball in his hands. It definitely looked like a concerted effort was made in the tie in Dallas. As the Love-Golden chemistry grows, it will make this Packers offense even more dynamic.
Expectations will continue to grow for Love and the Packers as time goes one. Can they handle them?
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