Contract Extension Shows Why Packers Drafted Matthew Golden, Savion Williams

The NFL Draft isn’t only about this year. It’s about future years. So, while the Green Bay Packers will be counting on first-round pick Matthew Golden and third-round pick Savion Williams to provide an immediate lift to last year’s underachieving passing game, their importance might be more significant in 2026 and beyond.

After the upcoming season, the two receivers drafted in 2022, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs, will be headed to free agency. After the 2026 season, the two receivers drafted in 2023, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks, will follow them into free agency.

Needless to say, they won’t be free – a fact that became clear last week when the Baltimore Ravens signed Rashod Bateman to a three-year contract extension worth $36.75 million.

Bateman was the 27th pick of the 2021 draft. He is coming off his best season, but it wasn’t exactly a great season. In 17 games with 14 starts, he caught 45 passes for 756 yards (16.8 average) and nine touchdowns. With quarterback Lamar Jackson throwing for almost 4,200 yards, Bateman ranked third on the Ravens in receptions, second in yards and second in touchdowns.

In four seasons, Bateman has 138 receptions for 1,923 yards (13.9 average) and 13 touchdowns. He missed four games as a rookie and 11 games in 2022. Taking his per-game numbers and projecting them over a 17-game season, his annual averages are 46 receptions for 641 yards (13.9 average) and four touchdowns, according to Pro Football Reference.

So, Bateman is a good player. But he’s nothing special.

Compare him to Doubs. In 13 games last season, he caught 46 passes for 601 yards (13.1 average) and four touchdowns. That was a disappointing season, especially coming off a hot pair of playoff games. However, Doubs’ per-game production of 3.5 catches for 46.2 yards actually was better than Bateman’s 2.6 catches for 44.5 yards.

Doubs has more receptions and touchdowns in three seasons (147 catches, 15 touchdowns) than Bateman has in four seasons. Taking Doubs’ per-game stats and extrapolating them over a 17-game season, his averages are 58 receptions, 672 yards (11.6 average) and six touchdowns.

Taking Watson’s per-game stats and projecting them over 17 games, his annual averages are 44 receptions for 740 yards (16.9 average) and six touchdowns.

Because Watson’s market is completely unpredictable and will depend on his return from a torn ACL, let’s focus on Doubs. If Bateman is worth $12.25 million per season with $20 million guaranteed, what is Doubs going to be worth next offseason given similar production? 

Because of his explosiveness, Bateman’s contract might wind up being larger than what Doubs will receive. On the other hand, Bateman has dropped too many passes, isn’t much of a run-after-catch threat and is a nonfactor in contested-catch situations. So, given the inflationary spiral for NFL receivers, maybe Bateman’s extension will be right about in line with Doubs’ market in free agency.

Looking a year down the road, Reed in two seasons has 119 receptions for 1,650 yards (13.9 average) and 14 touchdowns. That’s not all that far off Bateman’s four-year production. His 17-game average production is 61 receptions for 850 yards and seven touchdowns – numbers that crush Bateman’s.

Productive veteran receivers command outrageous money. According to OverTheCap.com, eight are making at least $30 million per season. Another 13 are making at least $20 million per season. Including Bateman, a total of 33 receivers have contracts worth at least $10 million per season.

This offseason, 16 receivers signed contracts worth at least $10 million per season. That includes the Giants re-signing Darius Slayton, the Rams re-signing Tutu Atwell and the Jaguars signing Dyami Brown. None of those players move the needle.

For one reason or another, neither Doubs, Watson nor Wicks have consistently moved the needle, either. They’re good players but hardly irreplaceable.

Which explains why the Packers double-dipped at receiver and drafted Golden and Williams rather than using one of those picks to address another need. Golden’s deep speed should make him an asset as a rookie. Williams’ versatility could make him a key member of the offense, as well.

But, again, the 2025 draft wasn’t only about helping the passing game in 2025. Unless general manager Brian Gutekunst finds a real stud – and maybe that’ll be Reed – sound roster management might be drafting a couple receivers, like the Packers did in 2022, 2023 and again in 2025, getting four years out of them and tossing them aside for another group of young and inexpensive rookies.

Having Golden and Williams on the roster now means they’ll be ready when thrust into even bigger roles in 2026.