Bizarre Packers Situation Takes Center Stage
It just had to be announced — or so goes the theory.
A strange tweet about the Green Bay Packers caused NFL fans — and Packers loyalists — to scratch their heads.
The Green Bay Packers ended a Round 1 wide receiver drought last month, drafting Matthew Golden from Texas. He’s on tap to play a central role in Green Bay’s offense.
But incumbent wide receiver Jayden Reed evidently needed a little tender love and care.
Jayden Reed Is the WR1 … News to Most
ESPN’s Adam Schefter — out of nowhere — tweeted Monday, “Packers GM Brian Guteksunst met last week with Jayden Reed’s agent Drew Rosenahus to clarify the wide receiver’s status in Green Bay after the team drafted Matthew Golden and Savion Williams. The team said it will not affect Reed’s status as its top receiver, per source.”
The tweet came out of left field for a couple of reasons: a) Nobody has ever really identified Reed as WR1, at least compared to his NFL WR1 peers b) The tweet felt like damage control from Reed’s representation.
Drafting Matthew Golden
The draft occurred in Green Bay, Wisconsin, three weeks ago, and the Packers surprised the hometown fan base by drafting Golden, their first wide receiver selection in Round 1 since 2002. Javon Walker was the last guy.
Of course, any wide receiver from Round 1 should eventually blossom into a WR1. It was just weird that Schefter had to tweet about it, perhaps a signal of Reed or his agent’s insecurities.
Jayden Reed Nowhere Near WR1 Numbers
The funny part? If Reed is a WR1, he’s statistically one of the worst in the NFL, according to that job title. He played all 17 games in 2024, hauling in 55 receptions for 857 yards.
The Minnesota Vikings’ WR1, Justin Jefferson — a real WR1 — nearly doubled Reed’s pedestrian WR1 totals.
All the Packers WRs
For context, these are the Packers’ wideouts, with training camp about 2.5 months away:
- Jayden Reed
- Matthew Golden
- Romeo Doubs
- Christian Watson (IR)
- Dontayvion Wicks
- Savion Williams
- Bo Melton
- Malik Heath
- Julian Hicks
- Mecole Hardman
- Cornelius Johnson
Watson is on the shelf with an injury and could miss most or all of the 2025 campaign — probably why Green Bay took the plunge and finally picked a wide receiver in Round 1.
Williams is also a wildcard because the Packers pulled him out of April’s draft, too, and he’s no chump. After Watson and Williams, on top of Reed and Golden, the roles for Doubs and Wicks become unclear, two players with notable functions over the last few seasons.
Certainly, the Packers have no shortage of WR options, even if strange Adam Schefter tweets are needed to level the playing field.
Packers-Themed Media on the Schefter Tweet
LombardiAve.com‘s Freddie Boston was equally confused as the rest of the world about Schefter’s tweet.
He wrote, “Reed has to think of the big picture. He is two seasons away from becoming a free agent, and being a bit-part player rather than a featured piece is one way to drive down his future salary. Selecting Golden might decrease Reed’s target share as the WR1, but the Williams pick adds the most confusion. He plays a similar role to Reed.”
“The Packers could use him in the backfield, on jet sweeps, and in the slot. It’s fair to question how drafting Williams impacts Reed. Schefter notes that it ‘will not affect Reed’s status as its top receiver,’ which is interesting framing. What about Romeo Doubs? Christian Watson, when he returns? Where does all of this leave Dontayvion Wicks?”
All in all, this sounds like a matter to sort out at training camp.
Boston continued, “The Packers are playing a dangerous game and risking having too many cooks in the kitchen. Wide receivers need regular reps and targets to find their rhythm, and Matt LaFleur’s spread-the-ball-around system is both a blessing and a curse.”
“If the team already has to clarify Reed’s role, just imagine if one of the Packers’ receivers goes a game or two without many targets. Matt LaFleur must navigate choppy waters with so much talent in the room but no clearly defined roles. If anything, it just adds to the trade speculation.”
It’s also worth noting that the Packers’ WR room makes fantasy football a little murky.
Vikings Big Rumor Put on Hold until July
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