Through two contests this season, Packers rookie receivers Matthew Golden and Savion Williams have not yet made their imprint in the passing game. Golden gained some separation on deep routes last week, but he and Jordan Love couldn’t connect. In Week 1, he had two catches for 16 yards. Williams has one catch for a single yard.
That doesn’t mean they haven’t impacted the offense. Both were involved in run plays against the Commanders, totaling 39 yards on four carries. And while Love and Golden have not hooked up for a big gain so far, the latter is running his routes well and getting open.
With Jayden Reed and Christian Watson both hurt, the Packers will need Golden and Williams to help fill the void, turning potential into production. That said, head coach Matt LaFleur isn’t concerned about rushing either to center stage just yet.
Green Bay giving rookie pass catchers time to grow
How Green Bay has used both players in the offense, not just as targets downfield but also as weapons in the ground game, reflects their versatility as well as LaFleur’s willingness to experiment. Williams in particular has experience as a dual option, carrying 51 times for 322 yards and 6 touchdowns at TCU last season. Deploying him in backfield sets is a playbook wrinkle the Packers should certainly seek to exploit.
Getting the most out of Golden and Williams on this Packers offense is something that will require trial and error. LaFleur knows he can use Golden as a deep threat and Williams on toss plays and screens. But how to best utilize their skill sets on a game-to-game basis? What are their limitations in year one?
“The beauty is that I don’t think we have to force anything,” LaFleur said of optimizing Golden and Williams as rookies. “It can kind of organically happen over time. That’s how much confidence we have in that group. It truly allows the quarterback to read everything out and go wherever the ball needs to go based on whatever coverages we’re seeing.”
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Scanning the field on pass plays, Love still has a variety of targets to choose from. In addition to the rookies, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks are factors are receiver. Malik Heath has to be considered. Tucker Kraft is already a monster and seems primed for a breakout year.
Obviously, Reed is a major loss. Even with pressure to take on bigger roles in his absence, though, the Packers want to avoid asking too much of either rookie. As Golden and Williams accumulate reps and grow more familiar contending with NFL defenses, fans will be watching week-to-week for that moment when it all clicks.
