Matthew Golden's arrival puts four Packers players on notice with their jobs on the line with wide receiver long-term shakeup
The Green Bay Packers entered the draft without feeling a necessity of taking a wide receiver in the first round. But whatever the feeling may be, they did it, grabbing Texas offensive weapon Matthew Golden with the 23rd overall selection."I really didn't think we needed to at all, certainly it's nice when you add as […]
The Green Bay Packers entered the draft without feeling a necessity of taking a wide receiver in the first round. But whatever the feeling may be, they did it, grabbing Texas offensive weapon Matthew Golden with the 23rd overall selection.
"I really didn't think we needed to at all, certainly it's nice when you add as much talent and competition to that room as we can," general manager Brian Gutekunst said after the first round. "I felt really good about our room prior, and if we would've gone in a different direction, I would've had no problem doing that. We had a couple guys on the board that we really, really liked, and he won us over. Not only because of his play on the field, but who he was."
The decision has obvious implications for the WR room. In the short-term, players with a similar role will have a higher risk of not making the 53-man roster. And in the long-term, players higher on the depth chart might not get extended.
Short-term implications
With Matthew Golden on the roster, it's harder to find roles for players that have a similar profile, like Mecole Hardman and Bo Melton. Both are slot-types, but can also play as Z receivers, and add something to the special teams as returners.
The problem is that it's getting tough to make the team after all. Last year, the Packers kept six wide receivers for most of the season. And even with Christian Watson injured (he will probably start the season on PUP), the group has Golden, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks as locks. Malik Heath offers a different skill set, as more of a traditional X receiver, which makes Hardman and Melton probably fight for the last spot with all the other players on the depth—Julian Hicks, Cornelius Johnson, and Tulu Griffin.
Melton had good moments down the stretch in 2023 and was promoted to the active roster, but didn't have much space in 2024 and was behind Heath in terms of playing time. Hardman was signed in free agency this offseason, and his projected role as a starting returner might secure him a roster spot.
Long-term implications
Christian Watson will start the season on PUP as aforementioned, but will get back to the active roster as soon as possible. Romeo Doubs also has a guaranteed spot on the team. The question mark for them is what happens next.
Both players were drafted in 2022, so they are entering the final year of their rookie deals. Based on how the current wide receiver market is, both players might get a big compensation when they hit free agency if they play well in 2025—and if they don't, the Packers will probably be comfortable moving on.
Green Bay has now Golden through 2028, while Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks are under contract through 2026. Presumably, Reed is the most important one to extend, and Wicks has a high ceiling as well.
Watson is a difference-maker with his deep speed, but injuries have prevented him from generating a consistent production. Meanwhile, Doubs is a reliable player, but he likely has the lowest ceiling among the top options in the group.
With Matthew Golden in the fold, the Packers have more flexibility. And these four players will have to show their value to be around longer.
