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New York Times
5 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
What's next for Packers after injury bug infiltrates their wide receiver room?
GREEN BAY, Wis. — If you live in the greater Green Bay area and can catch a football, come on down to Lambeau Field with receiver gloves because you might be asked to try out. One scene from Tuesday's practice perfectly captured the solemn state of Green Bay's wide receiver room right now. Romeo Doubs was keeled over on the field after hitting the ground following a light collision with safety Evan Williams on an incomplete deep ball during 11-on-11s. He stayed down for a while as trainers attended to him. Fellow wide receivers Christian Watson, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks came to check on Doubs, but they didn't have to step out of drills because they're all sidelined with injuries, too. Advertisement Doubs' apparent lower back injury was the latest in a room currently ravaged by the injury bug. Doubs declined to speak with reporters in the locker room after practice and gave an affirmative answer when asked briefly if he was alright. It's unclear how much time he'll miss, if any, after leaving Tuesday's practice early and not returning. Watson, however, continues to rehab a torn ACL suffered in Week 18 (more on his recovery later). Reed's left foot remains in a walking boot, as he's been sidelined since last Thursday without a clear timetable for return, at least publicly (head coach Matt LaFleur said he's hopeful Reed plays Week 1). Wicks has been dealing with a calf injury, and it's unclear when he'll return. If Doubs doesn't participate in joint practice at the Colts on Thursday, the Packers' top four receivers will be rookie first-round pick Matthew Golden, third-year receiver Malik Heath, rookie third-rounder Savion Williams and Julian Hicks, a 2024 undrafted wideout yet to play in a game. Oh, and not to mention quarterback Jordan Love underwent left thumb surgery for a torn ligament on Tuesday, first-team All-Pro safety Xavier McKinney is nursing a calf injury that might keep him out the rest of the preseason (general manager Brian Gutekunst 'absolutely' expects McKinney to play Week 1) and starting cornerback Nate Hobbs is recovering from meniscus surgery and still limping in the locker room. LaFleur was asked Tuesday if he considered cancelling joint practice with the Colts because of all the Packers' injuries. He said 'no' while nodding his head as if to simultaneously say 'yes,' and was asked if he feels good about his team's overall health in camp. 'No, I don't,' LaFleur said. 'Right now, I don't. We're missing a lot of key players that are integral to our success as a football team. It is what it is. It's an opportunity for some other guys, but we definitely had some injuries strike up at some positions where it's made us pretty thin.' Perhaps the most encouraging health update on Tuesday came from Brian Gutekunst about Watson. Watson's father said this offseason that his son would be back around Week 12. Gutekunst said at this year's NFL Scouting Combine that Watson was expected back around the midway point of the season. Perhaps the most optimistic update yet on Watson's return timetable came on Tuesday. Advertisement 'It's tough because when you see him run — I'm sure you guys have seen him run, too — like you want to throw him out there, right?' Gutekunst said. 'But there's kind of a timeline with these ACLs, and we're certainly — he's ahead of the curve. There's no doubt about it, but at the same time, he's got a long career in front of him, so we want to make sure we take the proper steps and we don't skip any steps along the way. I think more than likely, he'll start the year on the PUP. After that fourth game, I'm sure he's going to be chomping at the bit and it's going to take a lot of us to hold him back.' With Watson and others sidelined for at least joint practice and Saturday's exhibition game in Indianapolis, the likes of tight end Luke Musgrave and wide receiver Isaiah Neyor will have added opportunities in the passing game. Both took advantage of them on Tuesday. On the first play of the starters' two-minute drill, quarterback Malik Willis hit Musgrave for a 30-yard touchdown on a through route. The third-year tight end turned on the jets and got behind the defense. One coach remarked on how fast Musgrave looked as he returned to the sideline. After battling a lacerated kidney and an ankle injury that required surgery in his first two seasons, respectively, Musgrave's vertical presence in the passing game to complement tight end Tucker Kraft would be a welcome addition. In the next two-minute period, quarterback Taylor Elgersma floated a ball down the left sideline, and Neyor, an undrafted rookie whom the Packers signed less than a week ago, made a nifty over-the-shoulder falling catch for a touchdown. 'It's something that I practice a lot,' Neyor said of that specific catch. 'And it's one of the toughest catches to make in football, so I try to practice it as much as I can, keeping my eye on the ball and tracking it all the way to my hands. It was a great ball by the quarterback, Taylor, and he threw it up and I just went and made the play.' Advertisement Whether it's a tight end who should see significant time in the regular season or a wide receiver fighting for a practice squad spot, chances to make plays might be abundant with all the injuries to Packers pass catchers. The next two weeks, which feature two joint practices and two preseason games, will provide ample opportunity for starters looking to fine-tune before the regular season or for fringe roster players looking to keep their jobs. 'Hopefully, those guys are healing. Hopefully, it's nothing too major with them,' Neyor said. 'But I'mma do whatever it takes. Whatever's asked of me, I'm gonna go out there and do whatever the team needs me to do.' Packers HC Matt LaFleur on Jordan Love's thumb injury👇 'From what I've been understanding, it's a pretty, relatively quick recovery. So hopefully we'll be able to get him back out in some capacity next week.' — 97.3 The Game (@TheGameMKE) August 12, 2025 It wasn't all doom and gloom for the Packers on Tuesday, though, as running backs MarShawn Lloyd (groin) and Emanuel Wilson (knee) and left tackle Rasheed Walker (groin) all returned to 11-on-11 work. One of Tuesday's most notable plays came when Lloyd made one cut to avoid a potential tackler in the middle of the field that drew oohs and ahhs from his teammates. Wicks appeared to be so impressed with Lloyd's agility that he put his hand on his chin and kept his mouth open like he saw a ghost. It's that dynamic playmaking ability that still has the Packers eager about Lloyd's potential despite the injury-riddled start to the 2024 third-round pick's career. 'That's what I love to do. I love to be able to make plays,' Lloyd said. 'Now, it's just being able to run it back and be the guy that they drafted.' While Walker returned to team drills, 2024 first-round pick Jordan Morgan still took the first reps as the starting left tackle. As for Wilson, it'll be fascinating to see if he or Chris Brooks will be the odd running back out, assuming the Packers keep Josh Jacobs, Lloyd and one other on the initial 53-man roster. 'With Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks, we've got two established players who have proven their abilities in this league,' Gutekunst said. 'I like the competition there. I like their diverse skill set between all four of them, and so I'm very comfortable with that group.' Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
NBC Sports
08-08-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Matthew Golden fantasy football preview 2025: Stats, season outlook, predictions
Kyle Dvorchak, Matthew Golden 2025 Fantasy Football Snapshot Golden flashed late at Texas, then blazed a 4.29 Forty before landing in GB. Joins crowded Packers WR room with Christian Watson rehabbing ACL. Big-play upside likely makes Golden a boom-or-bust Best Ball target. Get personalized fantasy football insights based on your league settings with FantasyLife+. Your league is unique, your advice should be too. Head to and use code ROTO20 for 20% off. 2024: Golden transferred from Houston to Texas for his third and final season of college football. He didn't immediately take over as a clear No. 1 receiver, but his presence was impossible to ignore. Golden had multiple touchdowns in three games before the college football postseason. He then erupted for 411 yards in the SEC Championship and three playoff games. What's changed: Golden cemented his status as a first-round pick at the NFL Combine by running a 4.29 Forty. The Packers finally took the plunge on a Day One receiver by taking him with the No. 23 overall pick. He joins a messy receiver room with Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, and fellow rookie Savion Williams all fighting for work. Christian Watson is recovering from a late-season torn ACL, putting his Week 1 availability up in the air. 2025 Outlook: Golden should step into a starting role right away, but his ability to earn targets alongside Green Bay's stable of receivers is the biggest question. He was targeted on 17.7 percent of his routes in college, an underwhelming mark for NFL or NCAA standards. The Packers are also coming off a season that saw them rank 30th in pass attempts per game. Fantasy managers should expect plenty of splash plays from the rookie, but our inability to predict them could make Golden a stereotypical 'better in Best Ball' pick. **Projections from Spotlight Sports Group Go to: All players | QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs
Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Added competition makes wide receiver the position to watch at Packers training camp
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Jayden Reed acknowledges that the Green Bay Packers receivers didn't perform quite the way they wanted last season. That left them plenty motivated to take a step forward this season, even before the front office selected two more receivers in the first three rounds of the draft. The additions of Texas' Matthew Golden — the first Packers wideout drafted in the first round since Javon Walker in 2002 — and TCU's Savion Williams have made the competition at receiver one of the biggest stories to watch around Green Bay's training camp. 'We've got so many different guys who can do so many different things, which makes us so dynamic,' said Reed, whose 55 catches for 857 yards last season led the Packers in both categories. 'I think that's always how our room has been. We've just added more talent to the room.' Christian Watson's eventual return from a torn anterior cruciate ligament will only add to that talent. Even with Watson expected to miss the start of the season, the Packers face plenty of hard choices in determining which receivers to keep on the 53-man roster. The Packers have enough depth at receiver that Bo Melton has spent much of the offseason working out at cornerback instead. Melton caught 24 passes for Green Bay from 2023-24. Green Bay's receivers also were garnering plenty of attention last training camp after the Packers made a late-season surge in 2023 that resulted in a surprise divisional playoff appearance. The presence of Reed, Watson, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks gave Green Bay plenty of young talent, even if there wasn't a clear-cut No. 1 option. But they didn't show much improvement a year ago. While the various statistical services offer different totals regarding dropped passes, Pro Football Reference says Packers quarterback Jordan Love had 7.3% of his attempts dropped last season. Only Daniel Jones had a higher rate of passes dropped. 'Not to the standard, for sure,' Reed said. 'I do think we made a lot of plays, but we left a lot of plays out there as well.' They've been making plenty of plays so far in camp. Golden has been particularly impressive, showcasing his speed and demonstrating he has the traits of a future No. 1 receiver. Williams, drafted in the third round, is practicing as well after recovering from shoulder surgery that limited his offseason activity. 'It's starting to slow down for me,' said Golden, the No. 23 overall pick in the draft. 'It's starting to feel like I can go out there and just play and have fun, not have to think about what I need to do. It's just going out there getting open, knowing my assignment and alignment.' Some of the Packers' returning receivers also have made an impression. Doubs, entering his fourth season, has produced plenty of highlights. He caught a deep touchdown pass from Love on Tuesday and followed that up with another long reception in one-on-one drills Wednesday. 'I just love where he's at mentally right now,' Love said. 'He's playing pretty lights-out right now and making a lot of good plays when the ball's in the air, which is one of those things that's expected from Rome. He's done that so many times.' Mecole Hardman, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, signed with the Packers before they drafted Golden and Williams. Hardman has made plenty of plays as well, including a touchdown catch from Malik Willis on a fourth down play Tuesday. 'It's a very competitive room, a room that's hungry, a room that's going to work, that wants to play, that wants to make plays,' Hardman said of the competition among the receivers. 'When you get a room like that, I think the sky's the limit.' That upside will become even more apparent whenever the Packers welcome back Watson, who has been the team's top deep threat since his arrival in 2022. Watson, who tore his ACL in the 2024 regular-season finale, says he isn't setting a target date for his return. 'I've been doing cutting stuff already, some route stuff already,' Watson said. 'I'm letting the training staff and the strength staff tell me what I got that day. I'm trying not to look too far ahead because then I'm going to want to push for more and more, just how my mind works.' NOTES: The Packers signed wide receiver Isaiah Neyor and placed offensive tackle Travis Glover on injured reserve. Neyor signed with the San Francisco 49ers in May as an undrafted free agent from Nebraska but got released Monday. He also played college football at Wyoming and Texas. ___ AP NFL:
Associated Press
06-08-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Added competition makes wide receiver the position to watch at Packers training camp
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Jayden Reed acknowledges that the Green Bay Packers receivers didn't perform quite the way they wanted last season. That left them plenty motivated to take a step forward this season, even before the front office selected two more receivers in the first three rounds of the draft. The additions of Texas' Matthew Golden — the first Packers wideout drafted in the first round since Javon Walker in 2002 — and TCU's Savion Williams have made the competition at receiver one of the biggest stories to watch around Green Bay's training camp. 'We've got so many different guys who can do so many different things, which makes us so dynamic,' said Reed, whose 55 catches for 857 yards last season led the Packers in both categories. 'I think that's always how our room has been. We've just added more talent to the room.' Christian Watson's eventual return from a torn anterior cruciate ligament will only add to that talent. Even with Watson expected to miss the start of the season, the Packers face plenty of hard choices in determining which receivers to keep on the 53-man roster. The Packers have enough depth at receiver that Bo Melton has spent much of the offseason working out at cornerback instead. Melton caught 24 passes for Green Bay from 2023-24. Green Bay's receivers also were garnering plenty of attention last training camp after the Packers made a late-season surge in 2023 that resulted in a surprise divisional playoff appearance. The presence of Reed, Watson, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks gave Green Bay plenty of young talent, even if there wasn't a clear-cut No. 1 option. But they didn't show much improvement a year ago. While the various statistical services offer different totals regarding dropped passes, Pro Football Reference says Packers quarterback Jordan Love had 7.3% of his attempts dropped last season. Only Daniel Jones had a higher rate of passes dropped. 'Not to the standard, for sure,' Reed said. 'I do think we made a lot of plays, but we left a lot of plays out there as well.' They've been making plenty of plays so far in camp. Golden has been particularly impressive, showcasing his speed and demonstrating he has the traits of a future No. 1 receiver. Williams, drafted in the third round, is practicing as well after recovering from shoulder surgery that limited his offseason activity. 'It's starting to slow down for me,' said Golden, the No. 23 overall pick in the draft. 'It's starting to feel like I can go out there and just play and have fun, not have to think about what I need to do. It's just going out there getting open, knowing my assignment and alignment.' Some of the Packers' returning receivers also have made an impression. Doubs, entering his fourth season, has produced plenty of highlights. He caught a deep touchdown pass from Love on Tuesday and followed that up with another long reception in one-on-one drills Wednesday. 'I just love where he's at mentally right now,' Love said. 'He's playing pretty lights-out right now and making a lot of good plays when the ball's in the air, which is one of those things that's expected from Rome. He's done that so many times.' Mecole Hardman, a three-time Super Bowl champion with the Kansas City Chiefs, signed with the Packers before they drafted Golden and Williams. Hardman has made plenty of plays as well, including a touchdown catch from Malik Willis on a fourth down play Tuesday. 'It's a very competitive room, a room that's hungry, a room that's going to work, that wants to play, that wants to make plays,' Hardman said of the competition among the receivers. 'When you get a room like that, I think the sky's the limit.' That upside will become even more apparent whenever the Packers welcome back Watson, who has been the team's top deep threat since his arrival in 2022. Watson, who tore his ACL in the 2024 regular-season finale, says he isn't setting a target date for his return. 'I've been doing cutting stuff already, some route stuff already,' Watson said. 'I'm letting the training staff and the strength staff tell me what I got that day. I'm trying not to look too far ahead because then I'm going to want to push for more and more, just how my mind works.' NOTES: The Packers signed wide receiver Isaiah Neyor and placed offensive tackle Travis Glover on injured reserve. Neyor signed with the San Francisco 49ers in May as an undrafted free agent from Nebraska but got released Monday. He also played college football at Wyoming and Texas. ___ AP NFL:
USA Today
23-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Chrisitan Watson 'looks great' but Packers preaching patience in return from ACL
Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson "looks great" at this point in his recovery from January's surgery to repair an ACL tear, but the team is preaching patience in terms of getting the speedy pass-catcher back on the playing field. Watson injured his knee in the 2024 regular season finale and is beginning training camp on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. While the Packers are encouraged with where he's at, the team won't rush his return. "He's a freak, he did a run test the other day and looks great," general manager Brian Gutekunst said Wednesday. 'Again, it's an ACL, and it's his second one, so we're going to take our time with it." Watson was in uniform and even rode a bike to practice on Wednesday, the first day of training camp. But his return isn't close. In fact, Gutekunst said Watson will not practice in full at any point during training camp, which all but confirms he will begin the regular season on the PUP list and miss at least four games. It's possible he'll miss even more regular season games if the Packers stay conversative in his recovery timeline. Returning from ACL surgery typically requires a 9-12 month recovery timeline. Given this is Watson's second ACL injury, the Packers may want to push his return more towards the backend of the typical timeline to ensure he has full strength and mobility. Watson, who has an elite combination of speed and size, caught 29 passes for 620 yards and two touchdowns across 15 games last season. He averaged 21.4 yards per catch and 11.4 yards per target, both career highs.
