Matthew Golden wasted no time changing the conversation in Green Bay.
One game into his second season, the Packers wideout already looks like a different part of the offense than the player who finished his rookie year with 456 yards and zero touchdowns. Golden, the 23-year-old Longhorn taken 23rd overall last year, opened Year 2 with a sharp, aggressive showing in which he caught 6 of 12 targets for 95 yards, the second-best total in the game behind Christian Watson.
That kind of debut cuts through all the offseason guessing about where Golden fit in the Packers’ passing game. With Watson, Jayden Reed, and tight end Tucker Kraft all back in the mix, there was plenty of debate about how Green Bay would sort out its receiving pecking order. After Week 1, Golden looks like he’s moved well past the idea of being the fourth or fifth option.
The numbers point the same way. Fantasy Stats Data shows Golden led the Packers with a 26.2% target share, and he also reportedly topped the team in total snaps, first-read target rate, and route share. That lines up with a clear message from Matt LaFleur: Green Bay wants Golden involved, and it wants him involved in a lot of different ways.
Some of the catches came on deep crossing routes. Others came on shorter throws where Golden could work after the catch and show off the quick feet, burst, and wiggle that made him such an appealing prospect in the first place. Even with only half of his targets completed, the performance still stood out because a few of those misses came on throwaways and tightly contested throws.
Watson still looked like the top dog in the room, and Reed’s role was quieter than many expected. But Reed remains a player who can contribute in plenty of different ways and occasionally shift the spotlight away from Golden.
For now, though, the takeaway is hard to miss: Matthew Golden looks real, and the Packers are already leaning on him like someone they expect to matter a lot this season.
In Other News...
Packers O-Line Issues Just Turned Into A Bigger Coaching Debate
The Packers opening-week loss quickly pushed the offensive line into the center of the conversation, and offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich tried to frame the problems as more about communication than anything structural. He said the choice to start Donovan Jennings at left guard came down to what the staff saw in practice, and he also left open the possibility of moving Anthony Belton back to guard as Green Bay continues to search for the right mix up front.
What makes the issue linger is that the discussion has started to bleed beyond the line itself. Stenavich and Matt LaFleur offered different explanations about how Tucker Kraft was used on one particular play, a small detail that points to a larger question about how cleanly the offense is being coached and executed. For a unit already under pressure after Week 1, those kinds of differences matter because they can reveal whether the problem is simply timing, or something deeper. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Jacobs Update Leaves Packers Facing A Serious Off-Field Question
Josh Jacobs has already played a central role in Green Bays offense, but his latest legal resolution puts the Packers in an uncomfortable spot off the field. The running back entered a no contest plea to two misdemeanor charges tied to a domestic disturbance case, resulting in a battery conviction and a $1,000 fine, while the property damage charge was handled through a deferred judgment arrangement.
The remaining issue now centers on what happens with the evidence from the incident itself. The victims legal team has asked to seal surveillance footage related to the case, and the Packers are left monitoring a situation that has moved beyond the courtroom but not fully out of the spotlight. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Rodgers Sent A Message Steelers Fans Will Love After Week 1
After Week 1 in Pittsburgh, Aaron Rodgers took a moment to reach across the aisle and salute a familiar face. The former Packers quarterback sent ZaDarius Smith a handwritten note after the Steelers game against the Falcons, praising the veteran pass rushers energy and the way he worked his way back into the action.
Rodgers and Smith spent three seasons together in Green Bay, so the message carried the kind of respect that usually comes from shared locker rooms and a few battles together. Smith had only recently signed with Atlanta after a brief retirement, and he played through a shoulder issue in the opener, a detail Steelers fans will appreciate even if the note itself was aimed at an old teammate. [Read more 🡒]