The Player the Packers Couldn’t Land Just Turned Into the Draft’s Biggest Shock, Leaving Lambeau to Wonder What Could Have Been.QQ

A Draft-Day Heist by Big Brother Tampa Bay

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been the Packers’ tormentors in recent years, from the NFC Championship Game thrashing in 2020 to Baker Mayfield’s perfect passer rating at Lambeau last season. On draft night, they struck again, snatching Egbuka when no one saw it coming. Tampa’s receiver room was already stacked with talent, but adding Egbuka—a player with all-world potential—feels like a luxury Green Bay desperately needed. It’s like watching your smug brother play with the Pennsylvania Flyer train set you coveted, knowing he doesn’t need it but will enjoy it anyway.

Through the pre-draft buzz, two names dominated Packers’ discussions at No. 22: Egbuka and Matthew Golden. Green Bay settled on Golden, a dynamic prospect who’s shown flashes of star potential. His performance in the tie against Dallas—five catches for 58 yards, including a 46-yard bomb—offers a flicker of hope. But it does little to dull the immediate pain of watching Egbuka dominate the NFL. Through Week 6, his 445 receiving yards rank fourth league-wide, and his five touchdown catches trail only one other player. Even more staggering, Egbuka has etched his name in history as the first NFL player to record at least 25 receptions, 400 receiving yards, and five touchdowns in his first five games.

The Ghosts of Draft-Day Past and Present

The timing of this draft miss feels particularly cruel. Tampa Bay’s last two games pitted them against Philadelphia and Seattle, a gauntlet of Green Bay’s draft-day crushes. Cooper DeJean led the Eagles in tackles in one game, while Egbuka and Smith-Njigba combined for a jaw-dropping 295 yards and two touchdowns in the other. For Packers fans casually watching NFL RedZone, it was like Ebenezer Scrooge enduring a visit from the Ghosts of Draft-Day Past and Present, each highlight a reminder of what could have been.

Missing Egbuka stings not just because of his electric start but because of what he represented. Green Bay’s receiver room, while talented, lacks the game-changing spark Egbuka provides. His blend of speed, route-running, and playmaking ability would have been the perfect complement to Jordan Love’s arm. Instead, general manager Brian Gutekunst boarded the Golden Hype Train, a gamble that may yet pay off but feels like a consolation prize in the shadow of Egbuka’s brilliance.

A Glimmer of Hope Amid the Heartache

This Christmas tale isn’t without optimism, though. Green Bay’s decision to draft Golden wasn’t a reach—he’s a player with legitimate star potential. His 46-yard grab against Dallas showed he can stretch the field, and his work ethic has drawn praise from coaches and teammates alike. With the Packers trading away their next two first-round picks in the blockbuster Micah Parsons deal, the pressure is on for Golden to become a cornerstone of the offense. The embers of his potential are there; now, they need to ignite into a blazing fire.

In Green Bay’s three wise men—Gutekunst, head coach Matt LaFleur, and president Ed Policy—fans place their trust. They may have missed Egbuka, bypassing the frankincense and myrrh of other prospects, but they swung big on Golden. If he develops into the star many believe he can be, this draft miss might fade into a footnote. For now, though, the pain of watching Egbuka thrive in Tampa Bay lingers, a draft-day steal that will haunt Lambeau for years to come.

As the Packers move forward, the challenge is clear: turn Golden into gold. Egbuka may be the one who got away, but in Green Bay, hope remains that their first-round pick will prove to be the gift that keeps on giving.