The Packers have spent the offseason hearing plenty about Jordan Love, and not all of it has been about the quarterback himself. Micah Parsons has talked up an MVP run, Matt LaFleur has said he wants to unleash Love, and the buzz has only grown as Caleb Williams has become the more fashionable NFC North starter. But the reality is simpler: Love has already done more, and he looks set up for another big year.
The question now is who helps turn that into something even bigger. Matthew Golden may be the swing piece. If he gives Green Bay the kind of season the Packers are hoping for, he could be the difference between a strong offense and one that starts looking dangerous every week.
There’s already a baseline expectation for Christian Watson and Tucker Kraft. Both are viewed as Love’s top targets and both should produce.
Golden is the wild card. His rookie season was quiet - 361 receiving yards and no regular season touchdowns - which makes him the biggest unknown in a receiver group that has real room to rise.
Still, Golden gave Green Bay a reason to believe late. His touchdown catch and strong showing in the Packers’ lone 2025 postseason game stood out, and that performance has left open the possibility that there’s another level waiting to be unlocked. If that version shows up in 2026, the whole offense changes shape.
That matters even more because Love may be asked to throw it more often. With Josh Jacobs out and the run game still a concern, the passing attack should carry a heavier load. Golden is the kind of player who could help push Green Bay from good to truly elite, and maybe even into the kind of offense built for a deep January run.
The ceiling is there for a big statistical year across the board. It’s not hard to imagine Watson, Kraft, and Golden all finishing with 1,000 yards or more. But if one of those names is going to decide how high this offense climbs, it’s probably Golden.
The path is clearer than it was a year ago, too. Romeo Doubs is now in New England and Dontayvion Wicks is in Philadelphia, which opens the door for Golden to take on a steady role after being more of a background piece last season.
That’s why the start of the year will tell us plenty. How often Love looks his way, and how quickly the two settle into a rhythm, should reveal whether Golden is just part of the rotation or the player who helps unlock the Packers at full speed.
In Other News...
Josh Jacobs Update Could Change The Packers Opener Decision
Josh Jacobs legal situation has taken another turn, and for the Packers, the timing matters as much as the substance. His initial court appearance in the case was moved up to Sept. 10 from the original Nov. 17 date, putting the matter back in front of the calendar before the season settles in. Jacobs is facing two misdemeanor charges, battery and criminal damage to property, while remaining on the NFL Commissioners Exempt List as the league continues its own investigation.
For Green Bay, the revised date could end up shaping when there is any clarity on his status, including any league discipline that might follow. That leaves an important piece of the opener picture still unsettled, with the Packers waiting on a legal process that now arrives much sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Packers Vikings Opener Just Picked Up An Officiating Debate Fans Know Too Well
The Packers Week 1 trip to Minnesota just got another layer of attention with the NFL assigning Shawn Hochuli as referee. For Green Bay fans, that name is rarely a neutral one, since Hochulis crews have developed a reputation for being among the leagues most flag-happy groups in recent seasons, often putting both offenses and defenses in long conversations with the officials.
Last year, Hochulis crew worked 17 regular-season games and was usually in the double-digit range on penalties, with clear tendencies in certain call categories. For a rivalry opener that already carries plenty of edge, the officiating assignment is the kind of detail both sides will watch closely as the Packers and Vikings head into a game where discipline may matter as much as execution. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Love May Finally Get The Help Packers Fans Wanted
The Packers enter the 2026 season with a chance to look far more like the offense they hoped to build a year ago. After an injury-hit 2025 left Jordan Love working through stretches without key targets, Green Bay is expected to have its top pass catchers healthy from the start this time around, a welcome change for a passing game that never quite found its rhythm. With Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks no longer on the roster, the shape of the receiver room has changed, but the promise is that Love should finally have more stability and more options around him.
How that plays out will matter just as much for the ground game. The Packers are expected to lean more heavily on a zone blocking approach and more 11 personnel, which should help create a clearer offensive identity and give the scheme more flexibility. For a team still trying to solve its rushing attack, getting Love a full complement of healthy targets may be the cleanest way to take pressure off the run game while opening up the rest of the offense. [Read more 🡒]