Jayden Reed Reportedly Assured by GM He's Packers WR1 After Matthew Golden Draft Pick

While many expected Green Bay Packers first-round pick Matthew Golden would immediately step in as the team's No. 1 receiver in his rookie year, it sounds like one of their incumbent players will maintain that distinction.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst met with wide receiver Jayden Reed’s agent Drew Rosenhaus last week to clarify that the team's selections of Golden and third-round pick Savion Williams "will not affect Reed’s status as its top receiver."

In his sophomore season in the NFL, Reed led the Packers with 55 catches and 857 receiving yards while adding six touchdowns. He was the only player on the team to surpass the 800-yard mark, leading many to believe that Green Bay's top priority this offseason would be to acquire a No. 1 receiver.

Packers star running back Josh Jacobs even openly called for the team to add an upgrade on the outside earlier this offseason.

"We've got a really young group of receivers. All can be really, really, really special, but I think personally we need a guy that's proven to be a No. 1 already," Jacobs said in February. "So somebody we know is going to be a little bit more consistent."

It appeared that the Packers filled that role when they used the No. 23 pick in last month's draft to select Golden. The former Texas receiver established himself as a big-play target during his breakout junior season in which he posted 58 catches for 987 yards and nine touchdowns and averaged 17.0 yards per catch. Williams was also a solid selection in the third round, as he ended his final season at TCU with 60 catches for 611 yards and six touchdowns while also adding 322 rushing yards and six more scores.

However, it sounds like Reed is in line for the lion's share of targets for Green Bay in 2025. His familiarity with quarterback Jordan Love after two years together should give him an advantage over the newcomers, though he will have to produce in a big way if he hopes to keep his spot.

The Packers are a rising team who are looking to contend for a title over the next few years, so they will need Reed or someone else to produce in a big way in the passing attack if they want to earn a spot in the Super Bowl.