The Green Bay Packers are already getting more out of wideout Christian Watson than most fans likely expected at any point this season. Immediately upon his return from an ACL tear, Watson has made an impact on the Packers' offense, which has looked much better in recent weeks, despite injuries to key playmakers. While Watson's revival certainly gives the Packers a higher upside and should excite the fans, it could give the team some headaches in the offseason.
The one-year extension Watson signed with the Packers in the offseason now looks like a very team-friendly deal. The 26-year-old speedster knew that he could be leaving money on the table by signing a one-year, $11 million deal back in September, and that has proven to be the case.
Christian Watson May Need a New Contract After the Season
At the time, Watson's decision made some sense. He didn't know how big a role he would have in the passing game in the crowded wide receiver room. He understandably wanted to secure some guaranteed money in case he wasn't cleared to return in time and missed more games than expected. In hindsight, however, this may have cost the former second-round pick some money.
Through six games since his return, Watson has amassed 21 catches for 363 receiving yards and three touchdowns. While that's an impressive, albeit small, sample size, it's worth noting that it'd put him on pace for a career-best 60-1,029-9 stat line in 17 games.
If Watson were hitting free agency in the offseason, he would obviously get a lucrative, multi-year deal, considering how explosive he has looked in the six games since his return. He is putting up career highs across the board, including Pro Football Focus grade (84.6), average depth of target 19.4), catches per outing (3.5), and yards per game (60.5).
This could easily result in Watson looking for a contract extension after the season. It's hard to imagine him beginning the 2026 campaign on an expiring deal, which could force him to hold out during training camp and preseason.
The Packers already have difficult decisions to make in the wide receiver room. Not only are they an expensive team already, but Romeo Doubs' contract is expiring. Dontayvion Wicks and Jayden Reed's contracts will expire after 2026. Which receivers Green Bay will want to keep and which are expendable will be a difficult decision. Would the Packers really give an eight-figure salary for multiple years to Watson when they have a ton of WR depth?
Watson's desire for a new contract would be understandable, considering his injury history. In addition to his ACL tear, he missed significant time in 2023 with hamstring injuries. Trying to get a big payday after a career campaign is a smart move for any NFL player, and Watson is no exception.