Green Bay Packers rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden had a breakout performance in the Wild Card Round.
The Green Bay Packers don't have many positives to take away from their Wild Card collapse to the Chicago Bears. Rookie wide receiver Matthew Golden was one of the few bright spots, having the best game of his career.
The Packers took Golden with the 23rd overall pick in the NFL Draft. Heading into the season, he was expected to be one of the top weapons for quarterback Jordan Love, but he was behind Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and even Bo Melton at times.
Golden should've at least been the fourth receiver in the offense, if not in a bigger role, as evidenced by his performance against Chicago.
The 22-year-old wideout hauled in four receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown. Golden's explosiveness and ability to make clutch catches were pivotal for the Packers' offense.
While they didn't come away with the win, Golden's impact was felt and proves that the Packers should've had him on the field earlier in the season.
In 14 games in the regular season, Golden was targeted 44 times, catching 29 passes for 361 yards, and did not find the endzone.
Golden showcased in the playoffs why the Packers drafted him and what he is capable of doing in an expanded role. With his emergence, it makes a free agency decision that much easier.
Wide receiver Romeo Doubs is entering free agency, and with a lot of Green Bay's cap space being tied up to Jordan Love and Micah Parsons, every contract decision is pivotal.
Doubs is a quality receiver, as he had 55 receptions for 724 yards and six touchdowns in the 2025 season. He was also crucial in the playoff matchup, as he had eight receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown.
The Packers would love to keep Doubs, but there are bigger needs, such as cornerback, the defensive line, and offensive line depth.
Green Bay has Watson, Golden, Reed, Wicks, and Savion Williams under contract for the 2026 season, giving them a solid receiver room without Doubs.
Unless the Packers are able to work out a cheap contract with Doubs, they should let him go, allow Golden to take on a bigger role, and upgrade the roster elsewhere for the 2026 season.