The Green Bay Packers couldn't have dreamed of a better opening night to the draft.
Matthew Golden, the team's first Day 1 wide receiver pick in over two decades, arrived to the roar of the hometown fans outside Lambeau Field. Golden is a game-changer who had no business falling to No. 23, but the Packers will gladly accept the gift that fell into their lap.
Golden's arrival checks off a major need for the Packers. He can replace the speed that's missing without Christian Watson, who will miss time due to injury and faces an uncertain future.
Good luck following that pick, Brian Gutekunst. Team president Mark Murphy telegraphed a trade (multiple, in fact) on Day 2. It's unclear whether we should take his comments seriously or not, but the Packers should explore trade options.
First, we need to rewind to the No. 3 pick. The New York Giants selected Abdul Carter, which could lead to another unlikely gift for Green Bay.
Packers should call Giants about trade for pass-rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux (and it might just work)
Before the draft, The Athletic's Jeff Howe revealed that the Giants drafting Carter could lead to a Kayvon Thibodeaux trade. New York adds Carter to a crowded pass-rush room featuring Thibodeaux and Brian Burns.
"The Giants have to determine soon whether they'll exercise his fifth-year option," writes Howe. "One executive estimated the Giants could move Thibodeaux for a third-round pick if he's not in their long-term plans."
That got us thinking. Who says no to this offer?
The Giants answered the first question by picking up Thibodeaux's fifth-year option shortly after drafting Carter, perhaps sending a message about his future. But as Matt Sidney of GMEN HQ notes, it changes nothing.
"Because this move doesn't shut the door on a Thibodeaux trade—it just adds a longer runway and more control. The Giants didn't make a long-term commitment. They made a strategic one," writes Sidney.
Absolutely right. Picking up the option doesn't confirm Thibodeaux's future in New York; it just gives them a bit more time.
Over The Cap estimates that the fifth-year option for Thibodeaux will cost $14.75 million in 2026, which is fully guaranteed. It adds an extra year to his current deal but hardly provides long-term certainty. The Giants could still trade Thibodeaux (and his fifth-year option) to another team, who could then offer him a new deal.
If anything, the additional year makes a trade more appealing to other teams.
The Packers need pass-rush help. While they could turn to the draft to strengthen a room featuring Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness, sending a third-rounder to the Giants for Thibodeaux is a relatively low-risk, high-upside move.
The former fifth-overall pick had 11.5 sacks in 2023 before missing five games last season.
Green Bay kicked off the draft in style by selecting Golden. Pairing him with Thibodeaux would be a bigger home run than anyone could've imagined.