Matthew Golden is a Green Bay Packer, and they just gave him a lot of green and gold. He is the first wide receiver the team has taken in the first round since 2002. He reflects the Packers’ desire to surround quarterback Jordan Love with powerful weapons.
Golden will join a dynamic offense in Green Bay that ranked fifth in total yards (6,304) and eighth in PPG (27.1). He has big-play ability and big-time speed, recording a 4.29 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, making him the fastest player.
Golden Could Be a Golden Goose For the Packers
For his part, Golden is grateful and appreciative of the money and the chance to perform in Green Bay. “Thank you, God,” Golden posted on X. He’s shown his grace ahead of this moment by pledging to use his signing bonus to repurchase his grandmother’s home for her.
Golden signed a four-year, fully guaranteed deal valued at $17,575,338, averaging approximately $4.39 million annually. The contract includes a signing bonus of $9,422,064. In 2025, his cap hit is projected at $3,195,516, with a cash payout of $10,262,064, making him the highest-paid wide receiver on the Packers’ roster.
Expectations for Golden are high. He started at the University of Houston, where he caught 76 passes for 988 yards and 13 touchdowns. However, he exploded after transferring to Texas in 2024, leading the Longhorns with 58 receptions for 987 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 17.0 yards per catch.
Thank You God 🧎🏾♂️
— Matthew Golden (@MatthewGolden_)
He’s an explosive playmaker who bursts off the line of scrimmage and immediately commands attention. He creates separation and has excellent ball-tracking skills. His precise route-running makes him versatile enough to play wide and in the slot, allowing offensive coordinators to create mismatches.
He’ll be teamed up with Jayden Reed, a versatile slot receiver who led the Packers with 64 receptions for 793 yards and eight touchdowns in his rookie year. Christian Watson is a spectacular deep threat who gained 620 receiving yards on just 29 catches in 15 games, averaging 21.4 yards per catch. Romeo Doubs is a reliable underneath and possession receiver who made 46 catches for 601 yards and four touchdowns in 2024.
One of their more unheralded sneaky good weapons is tight end Tucker Kraft, who gathered 50 receptions for 707 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 14.1 yards per catch. The Packers can couple their air attack with a powerful ground game. Josh Jacobs plowed his way to 1,329 rushing yards on 301 carries, along with 15 touchdowns. As a team, the Packers ranked fifth in rushing yards (2,496) and sixth in rushing yards per game (146.8).
Golden’s presence is intended to improve all facets of the Packers’ offense. He could be their goose that lays the golden eggs in the form of touchdowns and big plays.