Green Bay Packers fans were ecstatic when Matthew Golden was selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. The first receiver taken by Green Bay in the top 32 since 2002, Golden seemed destined to find success in coach Matt LaFleur's scheme. However, as the regular season comes to a close, the former Texas Longhorn's lack of productivity has caused nothing but confusion.
Despite 12 Packers players recording at least one rushing or receiving touchdown this season, Golden has yet to find the end zone. Tight ends Josh Whyle and John FitzPatrick each have a single touchdown to their name, as does fellow rookie receiver Savion Williams. It's a tough pill to swallow and a large step down from Golden's SEC-leading nine touchdowns in 2024.
Golden's lack of scoring makes more sense when we look at his usage rates, which have declined since the start of the season. Through Weeks 1-7, the rookie averaged 66 percent of offensive snaps. In the six games he's played in since then, he's surpassed 40 percent of snaps just once.
Matthew Golden's lack of usage is becoming even more frustrating for Packers fans
With declining usage, of course, comes fewer yards. In his first six games, Golden recorded 249 receiving yards. His last seven games? Only 104 yards.
This situation isn't without precedent, as the Packers have rarely relied on rookie receivers right out of the gate. Romeo Doubs totaled 425 yards in his first year with Green Bay, while Tucker Kraft recorded 355. Even Packers Hall of Famer Jordy Nelson had just 366 yards in his rookie year.
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However, these players were taken in the second, third, and fourth rounds. They weren't the subject of articles and reaction videos that celebrated "the first receiver in over two decades to be taken in the first round."
The decision to take Golden in the first round can't be called a mistake, but it has caused some confusion among Packers fans. With the fourth-most receiving yards on the team, Golden has failed to become the X-factor that Mark Murphy's announcement seemed to promise.
Injuries to Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, and Tucker Kraft, which should have elevated Golden's status, led instead to Jordan Love spreading the ball around even more, with the Packers being just one of five teams to have seven players record 250 yards or more.
Green Bay's receiving room should begin to find its true form over the next two years, as contract negotiations begin for Watson, Reed, Doubs, Wicks, and Bo Melton (not to mention the four tight ends currently rostered). Until then, Golden will continue the fight to prove himself in the NFL, as the expectations of Packers fans loom overhead.