Christian Watson’s Packers Tenure Hangs in Balance: Will He Remain in Green Bay?
The Green Bay Packers undoubtedly want to give wideout Christian Watson the benefit of the doubt.
They selected him with the 34th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft with the hope that his size and speed would onto the path of being a superstar wide receiver. At times, Watson has shown that potential. When he’s healthy, he’s undoubtedly one of the biggest deep threats in the NFL. He averaged 16.9 yards per catch for his career, but he’s averaged 21.4 yards per catch this season.
The problem for both Watson and the Packers is the caveat about his health. Watson has struggled with leg issues in all three of his seasons and now it’s being reported by Rob Demovsky of ESPN that Watson’s non-contact injury in the season finale against the Chicago Bears led to a torn ACL in his right knee.
That’s a tough report for the Packers, but it may not even done. Demovsky also wrote that Watson is expected to undergo more tests to see if there’s any more damage on the right knee.
Throw it into the pile for Watson, though, because if it’s not the knee it’s been a lingering hamstring issue that has plagued him throughout his professional career.
That’s supposedly the risk you take with big, quick-twitch athletes like Watson, but the risk may no longer be worth the reward for the Packers as they look ahead to the future of this young receiver.
He’s likely to miss most of the 2025 season now, which is the final year of his rookie contract. Whether or not an injury designation may change the status of that final year is up in the air, but for as much “bang” as a healthy Watson can bring to Green Bay’s offense.. he may not be worth many more bucks as the Packers look ahead to a potential second contract.
The sad truth is that Watson just can’t be counted on to stay healthy.
