The Green Bay Packers’ receiving room has been a hot topic for the past 10 months, and it should spark more conversation when Christian Watson returns from injury. The Packers’ speedster has been on the shelf since suffering a torn ACL in last year’s regular season finale against the Chicago Bears, and many have wondered when he’ll return as the debate has raged on over who is quarterback Jordan Love’s No. 1 target.
While Watson had his practice window opened, it appears that fans will have to wait one more week to see game action. A few days after Watson cautioned it may be another week until he returns, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur told The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman that Watson won’t play against the Cincinnati Bengals despite looking “pretty damn good” in his first week back.
Although it may not come as a surprise, it still won’t satisfy fans who want to see Watson back on the field. If anything, it further begs the question of when Watson will return and has everyone looking at their schedules to figure it out.
Packers Face Decision on Christian Watson Ahead of Oct. 27 Deadline
Watson is a dynamic field stretcher for the Packers, catching 98 passes for 1,653 yards and 14 touchdowns in his first three seasons. The Packers also showed their opinion of the North Dakota State product, agreeing to a one-year, $13.25 million extension that locked him in through the 2026 season last September.
With no contract drama to worry about, Watson could take his time with his recovery. But the Packers must activate Watson before their 21-day practice window closes on Oct. 27 and have one potential game out of the picture.
Zach Kruse of Packers Wire reported that LaFleur said “We’ll see” in response to next week’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. But it feels like Green Bay could pick up a win if the Cardinals continue to shoot themselves in the foot. The following week against the Pittsburgh Steelers also has some return potential, but the Packers may want to have him without limitations when he returns.
If the Packers decide to go that route, they can activate him on the final day of the practice window, Oct. 27, with the intention of having him return the following week against the Carolina Panthers. That could give Watson some work before a Nov. 10 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles and allow Watson to be healthy down the stretch, potentially making it the most logical choice.
Then again, the Packers could use an aggressive approach and use Watson on a limited number of snaps until he gets up to speed. LaFleur’s comments suggested Watson is close to being ready, however, and it may not be long until fans see Watson back in the green and gold.