Matthew Golden may have just sealed Romeo Doubs' Packers fate

Last April, in front of their hometown fans just outside the hallowed halls of Lambeau Field, the Green Bay Packers broke a two-plus-decade streak by selecting Matthew Golden with the 23rd overall pick in the NFL draft, thus making the Texas standout the first wide receiver taken by the franchise in the first round since Javon Walker in 2002.

With the move, not to mention that Green Bay used its third-round pick on TCU wideout Savion Williams, rumors swirled that the Packers could possibly part ways with Romeo Doubs, who had some behavioral issues during the 2024 season that led to a one-game suspension and had also suffered a pair of concussions down the stretch, the first in Week 12 that forced him to miss two games and the second in the team's wild-card loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The fact that Doubs was set to play the 2025 campaign on the final year of his rookie deal only added fuel to the fire.

The Packers, of course, opted not to cut or trade Doubs, which ultimately proved to be the right call,, with Jayden Reed missing nearly three months after suffering a broken collarbone in Week 2, leading to a double surgery as he was also dealing with a foot injury, and Tucker Kraft going down midway through the year with a season-ending torn ACL. Doubs ultimately led the Packers in receptions (55) and receiving yards (724) and tied for the team lead in touchdown catches (6).

Golden, meanwhile, had an underwhelming rookie campaign, catching just 29 passes for 361 yards and zero touchdowns during the regular season. Of course, it needs to be noted that his lack of snaps, targets, and overall usage at times played a big part in his lack of production.

Naturally, with Golden not putting up the numbers most expected and Doubs having a solid season, there's been plenty of chatter about the Packers bringing Doubs back. That said, however, given Golden's breakout performance in Green Bay's wild-card loss to the Chicago Bears last Saturday, Doubs may be as good as gone.

Matthew Golden's playoff performance could very well mean Romeo Doubs' run with the Packers is over

In the days leading into the matchup at Soldier Field, Green Bay offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich oddly stated publicly that there were no plans for Golden to play a "premier role" for the Packers against their longtime rivals.

Of course, that didn't turn out to be the case, as the 22-year-old caught four passes for 84 yards, his most important contribution, of course, being the short pass he took from Jordan Love in the fourth quarter that he turned into his first career NFL touchdown, as he magically worked his way through six Chicago defenders to reach the end zone.

What Doubs did that night in the Windy City shouldn't be discounted in the slightest, as he was the best receiver on the field for Green Bay, as he caught eight passes on 11 targets for 124 yards and a touchdown of his own.

But anyone who paid attention to the aftermath is well aware that Golden's breakout performance was a far bigger story, as the world was finally able to witness what he can do when given a genuine chance to shine.

And that world includes the entire Packers organization, which now has a decision to make, as Doubs is one of several starters set to enter free agency.

Doubs undoubtedly helped his case for a lucrative contract with his playoff performance, and Spotrac now projects him to receive a new deal worth roughly $12 million per season.

Now, even if Green Bay wasn't facing some salary cap issues, one would assume that the likelihood of Doubs receiving such a deal is somewhere between slim and none, not with Golden proving he can live up to his draft status and Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Tucker Kraft, Dontayvion Wicks, and Savion Williams all under contract in 2026.

Doubs is a fine receiver, but he's likely played his last game in a Packers uniform.