The Green Bay Packers granted quarterback Jordan Love’s offseason wish—but with a catch.
After more than two decades without drafting a wide receiver in the first round, the Packers selected Matthew Golden with the 23rd overall pick this year. They continued to support Love by picking another wideout, Savion Williams, in the third round at No. 87. In between, they addressed the offensive line by drafting tackle Anthony Belton in Round 2 and waited until Day 3 to add to the defense, selecting defensive lineman Barryn Sorrell.
Along with adding Golden, the team gave Love a new responsibility. According to The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman, head coach Matt LaFleur FaceTimed Love on draft night to give him a heads-up—and a bit of a challenge.
“When you get your quarterback new weapons, you want to connect with him,” LaFleur said. “I FaceTimed Jordan and he said, ‘Man, sub-4.3 speed … I better loosen up my arm.’ I told him, ‘You’ll need to get that ball out fast and on time.’”
Golden’s elite speed is expected to put Love’s arm strength and timing to the test. After the call, Love immediately watched film of Golden from his time at Texas and was impressed.
“His speed is obvious,” Love said. “Anyone who runs a 4.2 in the 40-yard dash is blazing. I’m excited to see what he can do on the field. I’ve seen the highlights, so now it’s time to see it in practice.”
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With OTAs starting this week, Golden will get his first reps with Love. Though he’s already been on the field for rookie minicamp, these sessions mark the beginning of their on-field chemistry. That connection could play a key role in how dynamic Green Bay’s offense becomes in 2025—especially with Christian Watson still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Week 18.