The Packers are hopeful they’ve started to put the nicks and bruises behind them. Dontayvion Wicks (calf) and third-round pick Savion Williams (concussion/hamstring) are practicing again, albeit in a limited capacity, after missing a significant portion of camp.
Jayden Reed‘s status remains up in the air after being in and out of practice with a lingering foot injury that sidelined the Packers’ leading receiver the past two years during Wednesday’s padded workout.
Reed plans to press on and told reporters in the locker room after practice he hopes to take “some limited reps” this week.
“Once my adrenaline’s running, I’m fine most of the time, but probably afterwards is where I feel it the most,” Reed said of his foot. “While I’m out there running during the play my adrenaline’s running pretty well so I don’t feel it as much.”
Regardless of who’s available, Golden will have a key part to play in a pivotal home opener against the two-time reigning NFC North champion Lions, who swept last year’s season series.
Golden said he’s been briefed on the rivalry and understands the importance of holding serve in the Packers’ first Week 1 opener at Lambeau since Golden’s sophomore year at Klein Cain (Texas) High School in 2018.
Overall, Golden felt he had a solid first NFL training camp. He may not have gotten the optimal amount of reps with Jordan Love due to a procedure the Packers’ starting QB underwent on his left thumb, but he’s excited to play with Love and feels their chemistry is “where it needs to be” heading into the season.
Right now, Golden is keeping things simple – no different than how he approached his first summer in Green Bay.
“Definitely just doing my job,” Golden said. “Don’t try to put too much pressure on myself and just knowing that I need to be where I need to be for the quarterback, for the offense, and definitely in the run game. I feel like as long as I have that mindset to have the fundamentals right, I’ll be in a good place.”
The switch to “0” undoubtedly will write a few headlines this week, but it’s merely window dressing to the real story that begins the moment Golden runs out of the home tunnel at Lambeau Field to play in his first NFL regular-season game.
That experience is what this is all about.
“A dream come true,” Golden said. “Just a kid, fell in love with football when I was around 8. Put in so much work every day for this moment now. I feel like for me, the hard work paid off. Now, I just have to go out there and have fun.”