The Green Bay Packers have added a pair of talented wide receivers to their roster. Fans and analysts alike are all a flutter with excitement over Matthew Golden and Savion Williams! Both of these guys showed their playmaking abilities throughout the rookie minicamp. They both ran a good number of routes, but neither saw a target. The team is clearly on a mission to improve upon its often anemic aerial attack. Their inclusion is particularly fortuitous, happening right before their first planned season.
Golden and Williams have a special relationship that dates back to their day as high school recruits. Before committing to the University of Houston, Golden took an official visit to Texas Christian University (TCU), where he was hosted by Williams. This shared history makes for an intriguing and personal layer to their present partnership as they begin navigating their professional careers together in Green Bay.
Savion Williams has gained national attention for his flex ability. Last year, he rushed for six touchdowns and tacked on six receiving scores. This historic accomplishment now puts him among only two other FBS players—and the lone receiver—crossing such remarkable stats in the 2024 season. He can be effective not only as a dynamic receiver, he’s a talented runner. This has caused him to be compared to NFL players Deebo Samuel and Cordarrelle Patterson, showing off his versatility.
In Williams senior year, he averaged 6.3 yards on his 51 carries. He proved he could succeed in so many different ways. He handled snaps and handoffs with surgical precision, making plays as a conventional RB and as a wildcat QB. His combination of speed, vertical ability and ball skills are the triple threat that make him a valuable weapon on the Packers roster.
Unlike Reed, Golden is a bit of a different talent, and he should provide a different dimension to the Packers’ offense. He’s 5′ 11″, 191 pounds. Fast forward to 2023, and Watson’s successor, star receiver Christian Watson, is an absolute physical specimen at 6-foot-4, 208 pounds. Golden possesses the straight-line speed that Watson injected into the offense. This quickness would open up a lot of powerful and interesting offensive playbooks.
“Just getting the ball in my hand quick. That’s probably it.” – Savion Williams
“You want to make sure that you’re giving Matt the flexibility to attack all different levels of the field, and I think a guy like Golden does that,” said Jon-Eric Sullivan, highlighting Golden’s potential impact on the team’s playbook.
Both Golden and Williams arrive in a highly competitive WR corps. They’ll be battling it out with known quantities past, present and future such as Christian Watson, Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, Dontayvion Wicks, Bo Melton, Malik Heath & Mecole Hardman. This group has some phenomenal talent. Unlike in the NBA, the rookies get to sit back and soak up knowledge from a deep group of veterans while confidently establishing their own identities within the team.
Head coach Matt LaFleur has made a big deal about his chess-master mentality during this part of the process. The rookie minicamp wasn’t exactly a crash course that loaded up the whole playbook. As LaFleur was quick to stress, it’s critical to picture how new entrants might slot into the existing players’ framework.
During the rigorous and often arduous draft process—including potential back and forth, negotiation, and jockeying between prospect and team—it’s important to try and keep a bird’s eye vision. Consider the best way you might use a player. LaFleur commented.
He further elaborated on the necessity of communication with the scouting department regarding player utilization:
Although Golden and Williams didn’t record a ton of receptions during their first minicamp practice, they were added offensive playmakers to the field. Like the rest of the rookies, they will still participate in voluntary offseason team activities next week. This will provide them with additional opportunities to interact and engage with the team. They can show off their skills while getting ready for the fall campaign.
“That’s what you’re trying to communicate to our scouting department is: ‘Hey, here’s how we would envision using this guy.’” – Matt LaFleur
While Golden and Williams did not make significant impacts during their first minicamp session in terms of catches, their participation is set to continue during voluntary offseason team activities next week. This will provide them with additional opportunities to integrate into the team and showcase their skills in preparation for the season ahead.
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