The Green Bay Packers are heading into a short week with a real question hanging over one of their most important young playmakers.
Wide receiver Matthew Golden was left off the practice field again on Tuesday, missing a second straight day because of foot and shoulder injuries as Green Bay prepares for Thursday Night Football against the Carolina Panthers. The caveat here is that Tuesday wasn’t a full-on practice day anyway - the Packers only went through a walkthrough.
Golden has emerged as one of Jordan Love’s most dependable downfield targets in a Green Bay offense that ranks fifth in the NFL with 268.6 passing yards per game. The former Texas standout has been right in the middle of that surge, giving the Packers a big-play threat they’ve leaned on heavily.
The shoulder issue isn’t brand new, either. Golden was dealing with it last week and still managed to suit up in Sunday’s 20-17 loss to the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. He left briefly after getting shaken up, but returned and finished with 39 receiving yards on six catches and 12 targets.
Now the real pressure point is Wednesday. With just one day of practice left before the Panthers come to Lambeau Field, Golden needs to get on the field if he’s going to ease any concerns about his Week 8 status.
Golden, the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, has 512 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 34 catches and 69 targets through his second season.
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Packers Face A New Receiver Concern Ahead Of Thursday Night
The Packers went into the week with the usual short-week injury anxiety, but the concern around their receiver room stands out as Thursday night approaches in Carolina. Center Sean Rhyan and linebacker Zaire Franklin are already ruled out, and while several other players were limited in practice, the offense now has to account for another potential absence at a position where timing matters even more on a compressed schedule.
Matthew Goldens status is still being worked through and his availability against Carolina is uncertain, which leaves Green Bay with one more decision to sort out before kickoff. If Golden cant go, the Packers may need to turn to Isaiah Neyor from the practice squad for the first time this season, a reminder that even a routine injury report can quickly reshape the depth chart on a Thursday night. [Read more 🡒]
Matt LaFleurs Micah Parsons Update Gives Packers Fans Real Hope
Micah Parsons still has not returned to practice as he works his way back from the major left knee injury that has kept him on the sideline, but there is at least some optimism coming from the Packers sideline. Matt LaFleur said he hopes Parsons can get back onto the field soon, which is the sort of update Green Bay has been waiting for as it tries to piece together its pass rush without one of its most disruptive defenders.
For now, though, the timeline remains cautious. Parsons has already been ruled out for Week 8, leaving Week 9 against the Patriots as the earliest possible return if his progress in practice keeps moving in the right direction. Until he gets that first full practice under his belt, the Packers can only treat this as encouraging news rather than a true comeback date. [Read more 🡒]
Micah Parsons Just Gave One AFC Contender A Ton Of Hype
Micah Parsons used his podcast to put a surprising spotlight on Cincinnati, saying he believes the Bengals can climb all the way to the AFC's top spot and earn the conferences first-round bye. It was the kind of public vote of confidence that tends to travel fast in the NFL, especially when it comes from a player with Parsons profile and when the team in question has already built a rsum that suggests it belongs in the conversation.
Cincinnati has been stacking up results behind an offense that stays dangerous and a defense that has taken a noticeable step forward. Joe Burrow has been efficient from the pocket, Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase keep giving the Bengals a pair of high-end targets, and the overall profile is strong enough that Parsons saw a team capable of finishing among the leagues best on both sides of the ball. For a contender still trying to separate itself from the pack, that kind of outside belief only adds to the intrigue. [Read more 🡒]