Week 1 is here and the Green Bay Packers are ready to open up the season with a crucial NFC North battle against the defending division champion Detroit Lions.

Season openers can be sloppy affairs, but the result of Sunday’s game will count at the end of the year all the same, and could be critical in deciding playoff spots and seeding.

Here are five players who could play a pivotal role on Sunday as the Packers look to get off to the perfect start in 2025:

Matthew Golden

Golden’s NFL debut is one of the most highly anticipated for a Packers rookie in quite some time.

The former Texas standout became the first wide receiver drafted by Green Bay in over 20 years when the team picked him 23rd overall, and the hype around Golden has snowballed during an impressive summer.

Injuries to the likes of Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and of course Christian Watson, have allowed Golden to steal a march on the starting lineup, and although Reed and Wicks have a chance to be involved on Sunday, with the pair listed as ‘questionable’, Golden should be in from the first snap along with Romeo Doubs on Sunday.

Will Golden be the next rookie sensation at wide receiver to take the league by storm? We’re about to find out.

Zach Tom

The Packers dodged Aidan Hutchinson last season, as Detroit’s star pass rusher missed both games against Green Bay after breaking his left leg in week six.

Hutchinson was on an absolute tear before the injury cut his injury short, and he gave the Packers plenty of problems when they last saw him in 2023.

He is likely to spend most of his time lined up across from Tom, who received a long-term contract extension this offseason coming off a season which established him as one of the top offensive tackles in the league.

Tom allowed five hurries and a quarterback hit in the contest with Detroit at Lambeau Field in 2023, and although he fared better in the return fixture at Ford Field, giving up three hurries, Tom allowed over 24% of his pressures for the entire season in those two games with the Lions.

Detroit does not have another candidate to wreck the game up front, so all attention must be on Hutchinson and his matchup with Tom on the right side of Green Bay’s line.

Micah Parsons

When the Packers are on defense, all eyes will be on their newly acquired superstar. While Parsons is listed as “questionable” to play as he works through a back issue, it appears he will be involved in some capacity.

It remains to be seen how much Green Bay will lean on Parsons in his debut, after only practicing with his teammates four times ahead of the game. Even if he cannot handle a full workload though, expect to see plenty of Parsons on obvious passing downs.

The anticipation for Parsons’ first outing in green and gold is palpable, and the first third down with him on the field will be must-see TV.

Colby Wooden

With Kenny Clark shipped to Dallas in the Parsons trade, opportunities for some younger defensive tackles have suddenly opened up, with Wooden, Karl Brooks, Warren Brinson and Nazir Stackhouse set to battle it out for snaps alongside Devonte Wyatt all season long.

At this stage, Wooden seems best suited to fill the vacant nose tackle role in Green Bay’s defense, after transforming his body over the last couple of years and impressing during training camp.

Detroit has gone through changes to the interior of their offensive line entering the new season, with two inexperienced players – Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany – manning the guard spots and Graham Glasgow now at center.

The Lions’ offensive line does not look like the impenetrable wall it once did, giving Wooden and his teammates the chance to show their bona fides in week one.

Javon Bullard

Bullard did not receive the same acclaim for his rookie year as fellow defensive back Evan Williams, who was drafted two rounds later, but the Packers seem pleased with how he filled a more challenging role as a hybrid safety/slot corner.

He dealt with some injuries late in his rookie year, and while there were some low moments, Bullard has garnered positive reviews from his coaches throughout the summer, and with some experience under his belt, will look to take a step in Year 2.

Set to start at slot corner on Sunday, there is no time for Bullard to settle into the season. He will see plenty of Amon-Ra St. Brown on Sunday and must hold his own against one of the NFL’s most consistently productive wideouts. The Packers need Bullard to hit the ground running in 2025.