Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson has not played in an NFL game in more than nine months, but he expects that will change on Sunday.
Following Wednesday’s practice, Watson told reporters that he is planning to return to the lineup for the Packers for Week 8’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.
“That’s my plan,” Watson said Wednesday. “I say it every week. Obviously, just leaving it up to the trainers, but my goal and my plan is to play this week.”
Watson tore the ACL in his right knee on January 5 in the Packers’ 2024 regular-season finale against the Chicago Bears and spent the offseason working back from the injury. The Packers initially placed him on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list to begin the 2025 season, but they officially designated him for return to practice on October 6.
The Packers must still activate Watson to the 53-man roster before he is eligible to play against the Steelers on Sunday, but expectations are that they will before the weekend. After all, Watson has nearly reached the end of his 21-day activation window and must return to the roster by next Monday, October 27 — or finish the year on the PUP list.
The Packers (4-1-1) will kick off against the Steelers (4-2) at 7:20 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Christian Watson Signed New Contract With Packers
Watson has been itching to return to the field for the Packers for months now, but he won’t face the pressures of an expiring contract when he does finally rejoin the lineup.
While Watson — a 2022 second-round pick — entered training camp this past summer in the same boat as Romeo Doubs with an expiring rookie contract, the Packers signed him to a one-year, $11 million contract extension that came with a little more than $11 million guaranteed just days after their season-opening win over the Detroit Lions.
The new deal allowed Watson to focus exclusively on his ACL recovery without feeling the pressure of an expiring rookie contract hanging over him. He is also now tied to the Packers through the 2026 season, giving him ample runway to ease back into the mix and recapture his high level of play before he’ll need to think about free agency again.
How Will Christian Watson Fit Into Packers’ Offense?
While the Packers could technically wait until after Sunday’s game to make a move with Watson, chances are good that they will activate him to the roster in the next few days.
Even still, it is a little unclear how much of a role Watson will have early in his return.
Packers quarterback Jordan Love has targeted five different pass-catchers at least 20 times in the passing game through the first six games of the 2025 season, thriving off the team’s ability to spread the ball around and keep opposing defenses guessing.
While Watson’s return will only provide Love with another capable target — and a fast one at that — the Packers’ array of receiving options could limit his role, especially if they intend to take things slow with him after nearly 10 months on the sidelines.
“I feel like just me being out there is going to help open everybody up,” Watson said Wednesday. “I think they’ll have to obviously respect my ability to beat them deep, for sure. It’s just another person that they have to be wary of, regardless. I’ve made plays in my career and, obviously, defenses have to respect that.”
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