Acme Packing Company
Alright, let’s hear from you guys — shoutout to Revenge4BDU for the idea on this one. In a recent article, I said that rookie first-round receiver Matthew Golden, or at least what his ceiling is this year, is one of my biggest question marks about the Green Bay Packers this season.
I’ve seen the summer highlights. I’m very excited about him, but I’ve been down this road with Packers rookies before, too.
Let’s lay it all out there.
I still think that Jayden Reed is going to command the full-time role in the slot in three-receiver looks, which he’s held down since he got to Green Bay. With that being said, the fact that he does have a Jones fracture has me uneasy about projecting him to stay healthy for 17 regular-season games (and hopefully the playoffs). If Reed is ever out, Golden should be the next man up in the slot, as Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks and Savion Williams are more outside receivers than guys you can lineup everywhere on the field.
With that being said, I do think Golden will get a lot of snaps on the outside, too, as long as Reed is healthy, in part because both Wicks and Williams missed a lot of camp with injury. I wouldn’t be shocked at all if Golden starts every game as an outside receiver, opposite of Doubs, until Christian Watson comes off the physically unable to perform list. I think Golden, Doubs and Wicks will be in a pretty healthy rotation, though.
Once Watson comes back, I have no idea how the team will handle the situation. The Packers are still a run-first team that rotates their receivers a lot, outside of Reed in specific formations. Maybe it’s just a four-man outside rotation with Doubs, Watson, Golden and Wicks, and Reed and Golden trading off in the slot? My guess is as good as yours right now.
Tell me what you think will happen with Golden this year. Feel free to voice your opinion in the comment section.
[P.S.: I tried to draft Golden in my girlfriend’s work’s fantasy league yesterday, but he was snatched up right before I was comfortable taking him. If he goes off, I will never forgive myself.]
