The Green Bay Packers were not expected to retain Romeo Doubs in free agency, and they didn't. He is headed to New England on a four-year, $68 million contract.
With Doubs gone, all eyes will be on Matthew Golden and whether he can step into the role of being Green Bay's No. 3 receiver. Adding Skyy Moore, the former San Francisco 49ers kick returner who has also dabbled as a receiver, does nothing to change that.
After he was drafted 23rd overall last year, Golden's rookie season was something of a disappointment. He was already expected to take a sophomore leap, and now Doubs' departure gives him no excuse not to.
Packers need Matthew Golden to take the next step in year two
In the regular season, Golden made 29 catches for 361 yards, without a touchdown. He battled various injuries throughout the year. He wasn't the same after hurting his shoulder in Week 9 against the Carolina Panthers. Golden had at least four receptions in all but one of his last five games before that, amassing 233 receiving yards.
He did end the year on a high note in the Wild Card Round, where he finally found the end zone. The Packers hope the Texas alum will give them a whole lot more of that in 2026.
Golden should have the opportunity. Christian Watson and Jayden Reed are the only receivers who should enter the season definitely ahead of him on the depth chart. He and Watson are Jordan Love's only true deep threats.
Even after an underwhelming introduction to the pros, Golden could easily reach Doubs' level in year two. He has the athletic traits and the potential. The Packers are just waiting on the results.
Of course, subtracting Doubs does not guarantee that there will be more targets to go around. Watson did not debut until Week 8 last season, and Reed missed seven games after breaking his collarbone in Week 2.
Tight end Tucker Kraft may not be available for the 2026 season opener, but hopefully he plays more than the eight games he did in '25. Before tearing his ACL, he was far and away Green Bay's No. 1 producer in the pass game.
Certainly, then, Golden will still have competition for targets, but removing Doubs from the equation leaves one less veteran mouth to feed.
That could lead organically to a more consistent role. Last year, Matt LaFleur waffled on how heavily to involve his rookie pass-catcher in the offense. After injuries disrupted his season, Golden was effectively shelved down the stretch.
LaFleur won't have that luxury next year. While losing Doubs does not seriously deplete their depth, it leaves a clear opening for a WR3 to emerge. Will that be Dontavyion Wicks? Probably not. Barring a wild swing for a big-time receiver this offseason, 2026 will be Golden's time to shine.