Newly minted Packers wideouts Matthew Golden and Savion Williams are excited to have found their NFL home in Green Bay, but they just can’t seem to find much to do off the field. The fellow rookies recently joined Kay Adams to share their sentiments, which, just days later, she brought to the attention of their head coach, Matt LaFleur.
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When LaFleur heard about Golden and Williams’ struggles to find activities in Green Bay, he actually expressed how much he’s okay with it. After all, the NFL is a tough league to stay relevant in, and off-the-field temptations can sometimes get in the way. So, a little boredom might actually be a blessing, the head coach said.
LaFleur also told Adams on her podcast Up & Adams that time quickly flies in the NFL. So, it’s very important for young players to stay focused. He added that there are things to do in and around Green Bay — just nothing flashy, and that’s perfectly fine.
“There’s a lot to do, it’s just not going to be flashy. It’s going to be, go down to the river and fish, or go golfing, or in the winter time, I’m sure you can shovel some driveways or something like that,” LaFleur joked.
“But I, personally, love it. I think there aren’t a lot of distractions here. I think you can get the very best out of people. And these guys, they don’t realize it now, but this time flies in terms of the longevity of their career. You’d rather maximize your time while you’re in the league. There’s time for all of that stuff down the road,” he added.
Wise words coming from the now seven-year head coach. When LaFleur accepted his job, he was one of the youngest coaches in the league and still is. But over time, he’s clearly developed a mature outlook on the city of Green Bay through experience.
LaFleur’s new wide-receiving weapons
When Green Bay announced that they were selecting Golden with their first-round pick, the host city crowd rejoiced. It was a moment that LaFleur said he’ll never forget. The Packers rarely invest in wide receivers in the first or even second rounds. In fact, Golden was their first wide receiver taken in the first round since 2002, when they drafted Javon Walker.
Green Bay and LaFleur then followed up by drafting another receiver in Savion Williams, two rounds later in the third. The two promptly inked deals with the team and are now expected to play a factor in their receiving room moving forward.
It’ll be interesting to see if Golden stands head and shoulders above the rest of the receivers in the room. ESPN already has him listed as Green Bay’s WR2 on their depth chart, replacing the likes of Dontayvion Wicks. But Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs have already proven to LaFleur that they belong in the unit, so Williams could struggle to make an impact.
The real forgotten puzzle piece in this equation is Christian Watson. The speedy receiver was one of the rare guys the Packers selected in the second round, back in 2022. But injuries have marred his performance up to this point. It seems as though Green Bay and LaFleur are starting to move on without him.
