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Much to the frustration of eager Packers fans, Green Bay spent much of first-round WR Matthew Golden’s rookie season bringing him along slowly. Injuries and a crowded receiver room limited his opportunities, and he finished the year with just 29 receptions for 361 yards and one touchdown. However, the team has taken many actions this offseason which suggest it expects — and may try to facilitate — a much larger role from the former Texas standout in his second season.
As Bill Huber of Sports Illustrated recently noted, Golden is one of several young players the Packers seem to trust significantly more entering the 2026 season than they did a year ago. Green Bay moved on from veterans Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks this offseason, creating a clearer path for Golden to climb the depth chart and become a more prominent piece of Matt LaFleur’s offense.
The Packers also continue to speak highly of Golden’s long-term outlook. General manager Brian Gutekunst said earlier this offseason that the receiver’s “ceiling is very, very high,” while head coach Matt LaFleur recently pointed to the opportunities available for Golden entering his second NFL campaign.
And it sounds like Golden is embracing the challenge, recently telling reporters that his difficult rookie season helped develop a stronger mindset and added motivation. Rather than dwelling on limited production, he has focused on turning those lessons into growth.
The Packers have long preached patience when developing young players, but it’s time for Golden to step up and deliver. It’s not every year they draft a first round wide receiver, after all.
Packers clearly trust these four players more in 2026 – The work put in by these four players will mean greatly expanded roles for the Packers this season.
Jonathan Gannon faces challenges in Green Bay – Between replacing Jeff Hafley and playing without Micah Parsons for the foreseeable future, new Packers DC Jonathan Gannon has a lot of challenges to overcome.
Chemistry between Xavier McKinney, Evan Williams reaching its peak – The Packers’ safety tandem is excited for Year 3 together.
Could wide receiver Isaiah Neyor be Packers’ next UDFA success story? – After making some plays at practice during OTAs and minicamp earlier this month, the young WR has earned praise from head coach Matt LaFleur.
