So this was somewhat of a surprise late yesterday: Christian Watson signed a 1 year, $13.25 million dollar extension to stay in Green Bay through next season.
You know what? This just makes sense on both sides. Watson was having a really solid year last season. I know the total catches and yards aren’t going to blow people away, but his average yards per catch, when he made those catches, and his blocking in the run game were all really solid*. It seemed like he had figured out his hamstring issue as well, and then just got unlucky at the end of the year with a torn ACL that’s going to cost him 50-65% of the regular season this year.
Why this makes sense for both sides:
- The Packers clearly love him and his work ethic, and I think it’s clear he is very much respected in the locker room as a leader and hard worker. This move will make Watson happy, and since his teammates love and respect him, the locker room will be happy.
- He doesn’t have to rush back from a major injury because he feels like he needs to put up numbers in a contract year. He gets some financial security, he can take his time a bit with his rehab, and he knows he gets a fully heathy season in 2026 to prove whether or not the Packers (or some other team) want to give him a much bigger number over a longer term.
- He’s still only 26 years old and just entering the prime of his career. And all reports indicate that he is ahead of schedule with his ACL rehab.
- We all hope that Matthew Golden is going to be a ‘field stretcher,’ but that’s not a mortal lock. And even though we all like Jayden Reed, and some of us (me) like Dontayvion Wicks, and there is a lot of potential in that wide receiver room, no one else has his size (6’5) and speed.
- Because Stone Cold said so.
Check, check, check. They had the cap room anyway, may as well spend it on a guy with as much talent and upside as Watson still has.
*This is a VERY underrated part of his game. Watson sprung a bunch of big games for Josh Jacobs last season. It’s not easy finding a wide receiver who is a willing blocker for the run game, and not only willing, but GOOD. That’s never going to show up on a stat sheet for Watson, but I’m sure it’s a big reason they love him.
PS: I’m still convinced that if he catches this pass, that entire season is different.
Double PS: I think this does mark the likely end of Romeo Doubs in Green Bay. There’s just too much stuff still going on there from last season where he went into the wind and just didn’t show up to practice for a few days. Super talented player, hope he has a great year this year, but I think it’s likely he’s headed elsewhere in 2026. Might even get traded this year.
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