The Green Bay Packers had high expectations for second-round pick Christian Watson when he came into the league during the 2022 NFL Draft. But now entering his fourth season in the league, Watson might be on his last chance with Green Bay.
That’s what USA Today’s Nate Davis argued at the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft.
“Supremely talented, he’s also missed 13 games over his first three seasons – and that was before tearing his ACL on Jan. 5 during Week 18,” Davis wrote. “Watson is set to a free agent in 2026 and could be an odd man out for a team that just took WRs Matthew Golden (Round 1) and Savion Williams (Round 3).”
Watson suffered a torn ACL in the Week 18 defeat against the Chicago Bears. Obviously, he missed the playoff contest the following week versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
Because of the injury, the receiver, who turns 26 on May 12, might not be ready to return for the 2025 season.
Packers’ Christian Watson Provides Positive Update in ACL Recovery
Typical recovery time from an ACL tear for an NFL player is 9-12 months. If Watson’s recovery is on the longer end of that spectrum, then the receiver might not play at all during the 2025 regular season.
As Davis explained, that wouldn’t be good for his Packers future.
Watson, though, is aggressively attacking his rehab process as he has in the past.
“Recovery’s going really well. I’m in a really, really good spot,” Watson told reporters on May 4, via FOX 11’s Ellie French. “Just keeping the mentality there. Just working.
“I’ve got a couple more months ahead of me, but I’m attacking it every day. I’m in a really good spot.”
Watson dealt with a knee injury even before playing a game for the Packers. During his first NFL offseason, he underwent knee surgery to repair a minor injury. That caused him to miss a majority of his first NFL training camp.
In 2023, Watson sat out the first three weeks because of a hamstring injury.
The receiver played in a career-high 15 games last season. Behind that playing time, Watson registered a career-best 620 receiving yards.
But obviously, the torn ACL gave Watson a bitter ending to the 2024 campaign.
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