Packers Sign ‘Freak’ to Contract Extension

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers have signed explosive receiver Christian Watson to a one-year contract extension worth $13.25 million, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter.

Watson, a second-round pick in 2022 who is coming back from a torn ACL, is in the final year of his rookie contract. The extension perhaps takes the pressure off Watson to get back on the field as soon as possible in hopes of proving himself before hitting free agency.

“He’s a freak,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said. “We’re going to take our time with him. I’m sure there’s going to be a time where he’s really pressing to get out there, but he’s doing great.”

Early in training camp, Watson said the contract was not on his mind.

“I think my mentality going into it is I think the entire league has an understanding and, especially in this building, there’s an understanding of what I’m able to provide for this team when I’m healthy. So, my mentality is just to get to a point to where I feel like I can go out there and do exactly what I do.

“Obviously, I want to play in as many games as possible. I hope it’s all of them, but I’ve got to take it as it is. Whether it’s 15 games or five games, I feel like as long as I’m able to go out there and just prove that I am what I was before the injury and be me, that the rest is going to take care of itself. That’s been my mentality: I’ve just got to get back to being me and the rest will take care of itself.”

For 2026, the Packers have Watson, 2025 first-round pick Matthew Golden, 2024 second-round pick Jayden Reed and 2024 fifth-round pick Dontayvion Wicks under contract. Romeo Doubs, who was drafted with Watson in 2022, is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent.

Considering the team’s upcoming salary-cap issues, Watson’s contract could signal that Doubs will not return next season.

In the wake of the Davante Adams trade, the Packers traded their two-second round picks, Nos. 53 and 59 overall, to the Minnesota Vikings to move up to No. 34 to select Watson. The hope was he’d become the team’s next great second-round receiver and follow in the footsteps of Greg Jennings, Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Adams.

Watson has been great at times. As a rookie, he caught 41 passes for 611 yards and scored nine total touchdowns. However, he caught 28 passes for 422 yards in nine games in 2023 and 29 passes for 620 yards in 15 games in 2024.

Watson was the seventh receiver selected in 2022. He entered the season ranked 10th in receptions, seventh in yards and tied for third in receiving touchdowns.

On the other hand, of the 84 receivers who were targeted 50-plus times in 2024, Watson ranked second with 21.4 yards per catch and 14th with 2.26 yards per route. He was the only receiver who caught the ball with consistency (two drops, 6.5 percent) and used his talent and mentality to catch 10-of-15 in contested-catch situations.

Finally, he’s been an incredible asset in the run game. The Packers’ rushing attack was 0.37 yards per carry better in 2022, 0.75 yards per carry better in 2023 and 0.35 yards per carry better in 2024.

Because of the torn ACL, which was suffered in the season finale, Watson didn’t practice during training camp and opened the season on the physically unable to perform list, where he’ll stay through at least Week 4. He said he’s ahead of schedule.

“I don’t have a timeline as of right now,” he said during training camp. “I’m just trying to get back to feeling 100 percent doing everything I need to do out there and then I’ll just kind of let the trainers and everything let me out. But it’s been feeling really good so far. I haven’t had anything to deal with so far. It’s all just been feeling really good, so just praying that it stays that way and I’m able to keep going out there and attacking my rehab.”

The timing of the injury was terrible, with the Packers entering the playoffs and Watson poised to enter his final season under contract.

“Obviously, at the end of the season, we’re trying to make a Super Bowl run and I go down, not able to be out there with my team,” he said. “Obviously, the thought of I know this is going to carry into the next year, that was definitely tough right away, but I try to turn the page as quickly as possible, embrace my circumstances and just move on. That’s always been my mentality with stuff. Just how it’s been.”

Watson played in 14 games in 2022 and nine games in 2023. Last year, he stayed mostly healthy, missing Week 5 with an ankle injury and Week 17 with a knee injury. He probably would not have played in Week 18 against Chicago had Doubs not been ill. So, he suited up and tore his ACL early in the game.

“I just don’t let myself think that way because I feel like you could say that about honestly anything in life,” Watson said. “If this happens, then that doesn’t happen. If this doesn’t happen – I feel like that would be personally a cop-out way of trying to find something to blame. I’m not trying to blame anybody or place any blame anywhere. I just take it for what it is and just move on.”

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