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USA Today
11-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Did Wisconsin football great Melvin Gordon almost become a Green Bay Packer?
Did Wisconsin football great Melvin Gordon almost become a Green Bay Packer? The 2025 NFL draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin, was a celebration of football in the state. With Lambeau Field as a stunning backdrop, the Badgers were well-represented during the event. Thirteen program greats, including Melvin Gordon, Joe Thomas, Montee Ball and Jonathan Taylor, took center stage to announce picks. Gordon did so for the Los Angeles Chargers, the team that drafted him No. 15 overall back in 2015. During a radio appearance with ESPN Wisconsin, the Badger legend discussed his extensive ties to the Badger state, plus a notable pre-draft interaction he had with the Packers. "The Packers actually sat me down," Gordon began. "They said, 'We're probably not going to draft you. You're probably going to go a little earlier, you won't fall to us.' But we had a little heart-to-heart. That was dope for me, being a Wisconsin kid. We just talked about how good a player I was. If I was to drop to them, there would be a chance. But the Chargers picked me, and that's that. I can see why people have love and passion for this place. The tradition, just everything." Gordon was fresh off a 2014 senior season at Wisconsin that included 2,587 yards and 29 touchdowns on 343 carries. He concluded that campaign with a trip to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony, although the award went to Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. The Badger great was one of the top running backs in the 2015 draft, along with Todd Gurley (Georgia). After Gurley went No. 10 overall to the then-St. Louis Rams, then-San Diego Chargers selected Gordon just five picks later. According to his story, the Packers may have been a landing spot had he fallen near their pick at No. 30. Green Bay ended up taking cornerback Damarious Randall, who played just three years with the team. The Packers could have used an elite running back like Gordon over the ensuing seasons. Eddie Lacy (758 yards) was their leading rusher in 2015, then Ty Montgomery (457 yards) in 2016, Jamaal Williams (556 yards) in 2017 and Aaron Jones (728 yards) in 2018. Gordon finished the first four years of his NFL career with 641, 997, 1,105 and 885 yards, respectively. He also scored 38 total touchdowns (28 rushing, 10 receiving) during that time. The former Badger running back falling to the Packers is an interesting 'what-if' for fans of football in the state. It would have taken a considerable drop from No. 15, though Gordon says there would have been interest had that drop occurred. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
USA Today
26-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst offers praise for Matthew Golden first round pick
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst offers praise for Matthew Golden first round pick Matthew Golden is now a Green Bay Packer. The Green Bay Packers broke a 23-year drought without a first-round wide receiver Thursday night, selecting Texas standout Matthew Golden with the No. 23 overall pick in the NFL draft. Golden, 21, arrives in Green Bay after a breakout junior campaign with the Longhorns, where he tallied 58 catches for 987 yards and nine touchdowns. Known for his game-breaking speed, Golden posted a 4.29-second 40-yard dash and averaged 20 yards per catch in nine games last season. Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said Golden's athleticism and mentality made him a perfect fit for the team's culture. 'He's a very gifted athlete, gifted football player, but he's also wired exactly how we want our guys in the locker room,' Gutekunst said. Standing 5-foot-11, Golden is 'just above the Mendoza line' for size at outside receiver, according to Gutekunst. But the Packers are confident in his ability to stretch the field and contribute immediately on the perimeter. 'Obviously he has elite speed. His ability to stretch the field outside the numbers is really, really important. And when you watch him, we thought he arguably had some of the best hands in the draft,' Gutekunst said. 'He's really versatile, he's going to do a lot of things, but we thought he could play outside, and that was important to us.' Gutekunst also praised Golden's authenticity and resilience, noting the young receiver's maturity and drive. 'Authentic and genuine. This guy has been through some things now in his young life, come out the other side of it. He knows who he is. He loves football. And I think he's going to be a great teammate around him,' Gutekunst said. 'This kid wants to be great, he wants to win. He's been chasing this thing. He's had adversity in his life and he's come out the other side of it... he's going to really work hard at it to be the best he can be.' Golden joins a young receiving corps in Green Bay that includes Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, and Malik Heath. Reed led the Packers with 857 receiving yards in 2024, but the team hasn't had a 1,000-yard receiver since Davante Adams in 2021. Gutekunst believes Golden can contribute right away, not only as a receiver but also as a return specialist. 'He catches the ball extremely well,' Gutekunst said, citing Golden's game tape and pro day performance in Texas. 'His best football is ahead of him. He has a lot of room for growth.' Gutekunst noted it took Golden a few games to get comfortable at Texas, but once he became a focal point, his production soared. He also emphasized the value of Golden's experience playing at a top program, regularly facing NFL-caliber opponents and competing for his spot against elite recruits. The Packers fielded calls from teams interested in trading up to No. 23 but opted to stay put and select Golden. 'We got a good player we all really wanted,' Gutekunst said. 'I think it was a really good night for the Packers... I think you guys are going to like him as you get to know him.'
New York Times
16-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How Jaire Alexander's future impacts the Packers' draft plans at cornerback
Jaire Alexander is still a Green Bay Packer eight days before the NFL Draft. General manager Brian Gutekunst addressed the matter at the NFL owners' meetings last month. While the Packers don't absolutely need Alexander's future resolved by the draft, it would be helpful, presumably, for the team to have more clarity on its cornerback group entering the first round. Advertisement The Packers have been open to trading their two-time All-Pro cornerback, but Gutekunst left the door open for Alexander to remain a Packer if a trade doesn't materialize. So far, it hasn't. If it stays that way for the next eight days, it's possible a team that doesn't get their desired cornerback(s) in the draft is then willing to pony up for Alexander afterward. But if Alexander remains on the roster through the draft, Gutekunst might give up on trading him since any draft compensation he'd recoup would be for 2026. At that point, it would make sense to move forward with Alexander on the team and hope he stays healthy, which has been a challenge for the 28-year-old who has missed 20 games combined over the last two seasons because of four different injuries. There's no denying he's elite when healthy, though, and the Packers would have to cross their fingers while making sure there's no rift between player and team after the latter's public willingness to trade the former. 'We invested a lot in Jaire and want to make sure, if he's not gonna be on our football team helping us win games, that we get something back for that investment,' Gutekunst said at the owners' meetings. 'So we'll see where it goes.' That doesn't sound like a general manager willing to release Alexander if a trade doesn't happen. There are multiple reasons I think there's a legitimate chance the Packers take a wide receiver in the first round for the first time in 23 years. Story: — Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) April 14, 2025 According to Over The Cap, both releasing and trading Alexander before June 1 would free up about $7.6 million in cap space. Doing either after June 1 would free up about $17.1 million. Alexander, who the Packers made the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history in 2022 with a $21 million average annual salary (he's now fifth-highest-paid), has the third-highest cap hit on the team for 2025 behind quarterback Jordan Love and defensive end Rashan Gary. He's arguably being paid too much for how often he's been available, but the Packers' best option may be just to keep him at that salary if Alexander isn't willing to take a pay cut, and the team doesn't want to release him for only more cap space in return. Advertisement If the Packers trade him before next Thursday, cornerback might become a need as early as Round 1. Parting with Alexander would leave the Packers with three returning players at the position with regular season NFL experience on defense — Keisean Nixon, Nate Hobbs and Carrington Valentine. Nixon has one season of outside cornerback experience, though Gutekunst said Nixon played 'really, really well' on the outside in 2024. Hobbs is more of a nickel who the Packers think can play outside. 'Whenever we can get versatile players on our team, I think that's a huge advantage for us because it gives you a lot of flexibility,' head coach Matt LaFleur said of Hobbs at the owners' meetings. 'Injuries are part of our game and how you pivot and adjust, I think, is a big deal. I just know that a lot of people just view him as a nickel. Well, we think he can play on the outside and play on the perimeter. I just love the guy's mentality. I love how he plays the game. He plays it the right way. He's tough, he's competitive and he brings an edge.' Valentine has shown promise on the outside over sporadic playing time in his first two seasons, too. Alexander didn't start right away after the Packers drafted him No. 18 in 2018, so a first-round cornerback isn't off the table even if it seems Nixon and Hobbs will start on the outside. Competition is never bad, especially when Nixon and Hobbs aren't exactly superstars at outside cornerback, so maybe a rookie first-rounder pushes them to be better or even unseats one himself. There are likely to be injuries, too, so depth at a position the Packers currently have very little of is paramount. And all three of the aforementioned players essentially have two years remaining on their contracts (Nixon and Valentine literally do, while Hobbs' four-year deal is basically a two-year contract with an out before Year 3), so now might be a good time to start backloading the group. The Beast is here! The 2025 NFL Draft Guide – new and — Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) April 9, 2025 If the Packers don't trade Alexander before draft day and Gutekunst decides the deadline to do so has passed, cornerback remains a need but probably not as early as the first round. The backloading aspect from the first scenario still stands, since Alexander likely wouldn't be a Packer for the long term if he stays. It still probably wouldn't be wise for a team trying to win now to spend a first-round pick at a group featuring Nixon, Hobbs, Valentine and one of the best in the game when he's healthy. Advertisement That would narrow down the Packers' most likely first-round targets to defensive line and wide receiver. Cornerback would still be a need as early as Day 2, not only for the backloading aspect if more than one of the aforementioned four leave in the next year or two, but also because of who the Packers lost from their 2024 cornerback group. Eric Stokes, Robert Rochell and Corey Ballentine all signed elsewhere in free agency, so the Packers' depth at the position features Isaiah Dunn, Kamal Hadden, Kaleb Hayes and Kalen King. Dunn played 114 defensive snaps as a rookie for the Jets in 2021 but has been out of the league for the last two seasons. None of the other three have played a defensive snap in their careers. So as the NFL Draft descends on Green Bay next week, Alexander's future remains cloudy. The Packers are likely going to draft a cornerback, but when they do might depend on what transpires over the next eight days with one of their most accomplished players.
Yahoo
04-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bills safety Micah Hyde officially announces retirement
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) – Buffalo Bills safety and former Green Bay Packer safety Micah Hyde is retiring, Hyde announced in an Instagram post Tuesday. The former All-pro safety spent twelve seasons in the National Football League and signed with the Buffalo Bills through free agency in 2017. This of course was after spending 4 seasons in the Midwest as the Packers 2013 fifth round draft pick. Hyde will end his career with 644 tackles, 24 interceptions, five sacks, five forced fumbles and eight fumble recoveries through 158 regular season appearances. Hyde had an additional 69 tackles, two interceptions, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery through 17 playoff games. Now at age 34, Hyde's career, and arguably the best free agency signing in Bills franchise history, will come to an end. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
