Heading into 2025, the Green Bay Packers have great promise and are hoping to take that next step. As general manager Brian Gutekunst and quarterback Jordan Love have articulated, they have had plenty of regular-season success in the past several years. Since the Packers hired head coach Matt LaFleur in 2019, no team in the conference has won more games. While they don’t have a ton of hardware to show for LaFleur’s successful tenure, the Packers will enter the season with a strong young core looking to take leaps across the board.
Last offseason, Gutekunst brought in standout veterans Josh Jacobs and Xavier McKinney. They became impact players and team leaders on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, respectively. This time around, Gutey was less aggressive on the open market, opting for financial flexibility, which he will deploy on extensions for standout homegrown talent like Zach Tom, who signed a four-year, $88 million contract last week.
The Packers know where they have to improve from last season. The pass rush left a lot to be desired. While Jeff Hafley’s defense rode takeaways en route to a strong season, the coaching staff knows how high-variance those can be. They are expecting boosts in production from Lukas Van Ness, Devonte Wyatt, and $96 million man Rashan Gary.
Offensively, the quartet of young role-playing receivers was an interesting gimmick that stumped fantasy owners and led to a new hero virtually each week. However, the fun wore off in Philadelphia during a win-or-go-home game in which nobody could get separation, and Love had no clear reliable target. That’s precisely the need that Gutekunst opted to address right outside of Lambeau Field at the 2025 NFL Draft.
Green Bay selected Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden, and he figures to step into a significant role out of the gate. Jayden Reed’s upside is tremendous, but his usage has come primarily as a gadget player and often laterally. Reed and Dontayvion Wicks also had a brutal year with drops. Considering the obstacles to their respective emergence as top targets and Christian Watson’s torn ACL, there will be plenty for Golden to do the second he steps onto the field.
As training camp gets underway, it’s worth noting that football-starved fans and media will propel all types of hype trains and narratives that never see the light of Sundays in October. Still, for rookies, camp represents the first test set of tests against NFL competition, and Golden is already captivating people’s attention. Teammates and coaches describe his routes as smooth and effortless. Just three days in, he’s already earned a nickname from special teams coach Rich Bisaccia.
Bullet.
The 65-year-old assistant has made a habit of getting deep in the bag to help his young players find their 1960s counterparts. In Golden’s case, it’s former Olympic sprinter and Dallas Cowboy Bob “Bullet” Hayes. ESPN’s Rob Demovsky asked Golden about the comparison, to which he responded that it was clear off the bat that they were both fast and who wore No. 22.
According to Matt Schneidman, the Matthew Golden jet sweep debuted at practice on Friday, shedding some light on the type of dynamic role he is poised to play in the offense. With his incredible speed, Watson had the field-stretching role, whether it was a go route or an end-around. With Romeo Doubs taking care of a lot of the outside-the-numbers route running, a lot of interior touches are left for Golden, whether that comes from the slot or through motion.
And of course, to touch on the fantasy impact that is so relevant this time of year, Golden could emerge as a sharp late-round dart pick. Some rookies land in great situations, get targeted, and have an immediate feel for the game (see: Brian Thomas Jr. and Malik Nabers last season). Frankly, it’s a phenomenon that is less common in Green Bay, but that’s because they usually have a strong wide receiver room. It took a special set of circumstances for the Packers to select their first Day 1 wideout since 2002, which could guide him to a prolific rookie campaign.
Just a few days into training camp, we probably don’t want to give the hype train too much steam, but the upcoming month of ramped-up practices and preseason games will help shed light on how Golden’s game will translate from the SEC to the NFC North. Reed, who turned in fantastic underlying metrics last season, should command an expanded role in the offense.
Tucker Kraft is also a player who has continually delivered and should see more opportunities created for him. Still, there’s a lot of offense available if the Packers are going to be the team they set out to be. They brought Golden in to be the guy that Love can go to in a crucial third-down situation for the next several years. The early returns suggest the duo could be in for a hot start.
