If history is any indication, the odds appear to be against the Green Bay Packers' rising second-year wide receiver, Matthew Golden. Statistically speaking, not many players have had his subpar rookie showing and gone on to have successful NFL careers, but in this case, context matters.
Fantasy football analyst Ron Stewart identified 17 first-round wideouts who failed to reach the 500-yard mark in their first 14 games, and Golden made the cut. Frankly, it's not a great list to be on, as evidenced by the other names included. However, what this notable benchmark doesn't acknowledge is the situation in Green Bay, which has changed in recent months.
Golden was buried on the Packers' depth chart behind a handful of skilled veterans upon entering the league. It's not his fault he walked into a crowded receiver room that included Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks.
Packers fans see what NFL history is missing on Matthew Golden
Keeping company with all-time busts like Kevin White, N'Keal Harry and John Ross isn't the best look, though it's important to remember Golden's circumstances in 2025. Watson, Doubs, Reed and Wicks accounted for roughly 42 percent of Green Bay's 328 completed passes — but two of them are now gone.
The jury shouldn't be out on Golden yet. His disappointing inaugural pro campaign with the Packers never felt like it was about a lack of talent; he just needed to be featured more. Assessing him will be easier since Green Bay didn't re-sign Doubs (now a New England Patriot) and traded Wicks to the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason.
Green Bay's handling of Golden's usage, or lack thereof, this past season was questionable at best. He made plays when given the chance. Be that as it may, the Packers' coaching staff continued to prioritize Watson, Doubs, Wicks and Reed over last year's No. 23 overall selection.
Of course, the counterargument to Golden being so low in the Packers' pecking order is that he didn't earn playing time. The Texas product could've forced his way into the game plan by seizing the opportunities presented to him. It happens all the time, with the Chicago Bears' Luther Burden III being a prime example.
Burden grabbed the bull by the horns and ran away with it. He was a key piece of the Bears' aerial attack down the stretch of last season after being a non-factor through his first eight contests. Nevertheless, the Packers evidently still have high hopes for Golden, considering they've reportedly "[cleared] the way" for him to assume a larger role in 2026.
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