When the Green Bay Packers open their season against the Detroit Lions this Sunday, expectations for rookie Matthew Golden are off the charts.
As the first first-round wide receiver taken by the Packers since 2002 (are you sick of this stat yet?), Golden’s career was always going to be under a microscope.
While you always want to give rookies some leeway as they adjust to life in the NFL, Golden’s offseason did nothing to dull his sheen. After seeing the speedy receiver in action and hearing the general manager and coaching staff rave about him, expectations might be higher now than they were this spring.
Golden already looks to have the makings of a true WR1, Matt LaFleur’s favorite term. But it’s Golden’s first NFL game, and he’s facing one of the NFC’s top teams. What are realistic expectations for him against the Lions, and is it the beginning of an epic saga?
Green Bay’s first unofficial depth chart elevated the hype. Golden is a starter along with Romeo Doubs and Jayden Reed.
As battered as Green Bay’s receiving corps is, it’s not that surprising. Reed and Dontayvion Wicks missed most of training camp with injury, and Christian Watson is on the PUP.
Still, it feels Golden has truly earned the nod. He famously made a play every day in training camp and impressed in the first preseason game. He’s the only receiver to actually catch a pass from Jordan Love, and the Packers limited Golden’s playing time in the next few games. It’s a big sign of confidence in the rookie to receive the same sort of treatment as the starters.
It’s not uncommon for a rookie receiver to make an immediate impact, especially in recent years with more college teams running pro-style offenses.
“Hollywood” Brown opened the 2019 season with 147 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Draftmates A.J. Brown and Terry McLaurin debuted strongly, with 100 yards and 125 yards and a TD, respectively.
Lest it seem like the 2019 class is an anomaly, Puka Nucua opened his 2023 season with 119 yards, while Xavier Worthy started 2024 with two touchdowns.
Could Golden join this group with a 100-yard game against Detroit? The talent looks real, and his hands have been more reliable this summer. Working against him are Green Bay’s potential game plan and the strength of Detroit’s defense.
The Packers receivers’ drop issues continued this preseason, but Golden avoided the bug and might have the most reliable hands. Golden is also more likely to be on the field in two-receiver sets, with Reed playing infrequently in non-three WR sets. Golden will be on the field often, which means he’ll earn opportunities.
But LaFleur probably won’t build the offense around Golden just yet. We’ll have to see how much of the playbook LaFleur opens for Golden and whether he’ll be trusted as a blocker.
With Jordan Love still recovering from his hand surgery, the Packers might lean more on the running game, letting Josh Jacobs pave the way.
Alternatively, LaFleur has stated he wants to feed Tucker Kraft the ball more, and if Luke Musgrave stays healthy, we’ll see a lot more two tight end sets. Could we see that in action in Week 1?
Under Matt LaFleur, you never know which player will be the focus. Sometimes it simply comes down to who’s having a good day. That could certainly be Golden, but LaFleur’s offense has plenty of hungry mouths to feed.
In Golden’s favor, Jordan Love doesn’t have the same aversion to rookie receivers Aaron Rodgers had, and QB1 already looks forward to feeding Golden the ball.
“I think MG is the perfect guy to go have a breakout year,” Love said on Total Packers. “The things he’s done during OTAs and training camp, just continuing to get better every day. The splash plays he makes has got me very excited to see what he’s going to be about during the season. He’s going to be a guy we try to get the ball to as much as possible.”
The Packers also are facing a difficult opponent in Week 1.
Dan Campbell has had LaFleur’s lunch since becoming Detroit’s head coach in 2021, including winning both matchups against Green Bay last year. Detroit lost both of its coordinators to head coaching roles this offseason, which creates uncertainty on both sides of the ball. Newly promoted linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard should keep some continuity from former DC Aaron Glenn‘s tenure, bringing an aggressive style. Will Detroit pick up where they left off, or will they need to adjust under the new coordinator?
A Dan Campbell-led team will always be physical and biting kneecaps and such, and the Lions hate the Packers, but facing this new defense in Week 1 might be a break for Green Bay.
The Lions welcome back Aidan Hutchinson, their all-star pass rusher. Detroit also bolstered their defense through the draft and with veteran additions D.J. Reed, Rock Ya-Sin, and Avonte Maddox.
Again, the timing might help Golden and the Packers. Hutchinson is one of the league’s best ascending defensive players, but he’s coming off a major injury and might need to shake off the rust. If he can be contained, it makes life easier for Love and the passing game.
It’s a true coin-flip game between these two hated rivals, and it’s not an easy defense to cut your teeth on.
It’s also not an easy matchup for the rookie, and we don’t know how willing LaFleur will be to unleash Golden in his first game. Hype and reality often clash, as we saw when Christian Watson dropped his first target against Minnesota in 2022.
But Golden has the talent, the respect of his quarterback and coaches, and is building success on success. We shouldn’t be disappointed if Golden doesn’t meet lofty expectations in his first game, but it’s not out of the question that he could be the next breakout rookie right out of the gate.