Packers Rookie Receiver Hype Called One Of OTAs' 'Biggest Overreactions'

Updated May 30, 2025 at 11:17pm

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Texas wide receiver, Matthew Golden, getting drafted by the Green Bay Packers in Wisconsin, April 24, 2025.

The Green Bay Packers faithful were obviously more than thrilled when general manager, Brian Gutekunst, and head coach, Matt LaFleur, decided to spend their first round draft pick on a receiver for the first time in 23 years back in April, selecting speedy wideout, Matthew Golden, out of Texas.

Coupled with the selection of TCU stud WR, Savion Williams, the Packers now what seems to be both a strong and deep receiver room filled with an abundance of multi-variant talent.

Yet, as much of the attention and emphasis has remained on Golden within Green Bay, Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report believes that we should not be too quick to go all in on the young wideout, calling the idea that he will “dominate” as a rookie one of the biggest overreactions of May’s OTAs.

Packers Media Need To Pump Breaks On Matthew Golden Train

“The first Packers Round 1 wide receiver in about 75 years (OK, it’s actually 23) is already taking first-team reps at Green Bay OTAs.” Gagnon writes, “That’s a decent sign of his abilities out of the gate. After all, the Packers have quite a lot of depth at receiver.

“Rookie first-round pick Golden was smooth in running his routes Wednesday, and looked the part of a first-rounder,” Mark Oldacres of Packers Wire wrote on Wednesday.”

Yet, as Gagnon explains, that does not necessarily imply that he is fully ready to be crowned as the team’s undeniable WR1 before even playing a pre-season snap.

“Nice!” Gagnon notes, “But again, it’s early and you have to consider that coaches sometimes move guys like that into rotation with the ones simply to get a feel for how they look even if they perceive them to be far from ready. ”

“I also get the feeling some of the mental lapses that caused problems for Golden in college will make it hard for him to consistently remain ahead of a bunch of semi-experienced and talented receivers on a team that is trying to contend in 2025.”

Will Golden Be The Packers First Choice Wideout In 2025

It is most likely that Jayden Reed will take that throne for this upcoming season, at least in Week 1, considering the team already had a meeting with Reed’s manager, Drew Rosenhaus, concerning that exact topic.

Although Reed spoke to the media and noted that this was a false misconception created about the meeting, and that it was just a routine meeting between two parties, as Rosenhaus had just taken over as the former Western Michigan man’s new representative.

With trade rumors surrounding Romeo Doubs this offseason and Christian Watson set to miss more time at the start of the season, it does seem like more or less a two horse race to the be the top dog in Green Bay.

Or perhaps they may just spread the ball out once again, having no designated “WR1”, as they look to take advantage of matchups given their depth at both tight end and wide receiver.

Daniel Arwas Daniel Arwas is a sports writer who covers the NFL for Heavy.com. Daniel began his career in sports writing in 2022 and has covered the NFL and college football for Gridiron Heroics and The Hammer. More about Daniel Arwas