As expected, the Green Bay Packers used most of their draft capital to address their defensive needs. The offense isn't as stacked as it was last season, especially in the wide receiver room, but they should still have more than enough resources to get by.
That's why, after watching Dontayvion Wicks leave town and the fact that they didn't take any potentially starting wideout, Christian Watson has to be considered one of the biggest winners of the NFL Draft.
Christian Watson Will Get a Contract Extension from Packers in No Time
Watson is entering the final year of his contract. He got a one-year, $11 million extension last offseason, and given that he was healthy and efficient once he returned from the season-ending injury he suffered in 2024, it wasn't much of a surprise to hear Packers GM Brian Gutekunst talk about the team's desire to keep him around for the long run.
They backed up those words with the way they handled their offseason. Watson has always been ahead of the pack in terms of the pecking order, but getting rid of some of his teammates will obviously leave more targets for him. With Romeo Doubs also gone, he should be in for double digits in targets every week, even if Matthew Golden also gets a bigger role in his second year in the league.
Watson's physicality and ball skills are second to none on the team. He's a big-bodied pass catcher who has proven that he can be an All-Pro-type guy when he's healthy. The problem is that he's seldom healthy, which is probably the only reason why the Packers didn't give him a long-term contract extension last offseason.
Even so, Watson's chemistry with Jordan Love is evident. Tucker Kraft will also be back and likely get a contract extension after a major injury. They should be No. 1 and No. 2 in the passing game, with Golden slowly carving himself a major role.
Of course, spending big bucks to keep an injury-prone wide receiver in town comes with major risks, and durability will always be a significant concern for Watson. Talent and production-wise, however, there's no doubt that he's earned his stripes.
The Packers knew they didn't need to find him a replacement in the NFL Draft. Whether that decision will come back to haunt them remains to be seen, but he should be confident that he'll get a big raise in his next contract.
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