Green Bay Packers‘ Jordan Love ranked third in the league last year in QB ratings. That achievement proves what he can deliver in the future, now that he is emerging as the franchise quarterback. To help him be better, the Green Bay Packers gave him a solid wideout to rely on in Christian Watson, who is now a lock for the near future.
“Anytime somebody gets a new contract, I’m very happy for them,” Love said at a presser. “I know the work Christian puts in. I know the work he’s gonna continue to put in …. He’s very deserving of it.”
On June 4, Watson put pen to paper on a four-year, $110.5 million extension, which includes a $31 million signing bonus. This pretty much seals him as WR1 for this year, after having signed a one-year extension worth $11 million to cover his fifth year. Drafted in 2022, Watson has spent his entire career so far with Green Bay.
Over the last four years, he played in 48 games, reeling in 133 receptions for 2,264 yards and 20 touchdowns. Last year, he caught 35 passes for 611 yards and six touchdowns, ranking him second in the WR room last year. He’s been a dependable secondary target for Jordan Love, but has the chance to grow into his top target now.
Romeo Doubs, the leading WR for the Packers last season, is now with the New England Patriots. Veteran Dontayvion Wicks was also traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. With these two heavyweights gone, Watson has more room to emerge as WR1.
“The thing I love most about football is the competitiveness, and I wanna compete every single play,” Watson said at a presser after signing the contract. “The more opportunities, the better for me. Obviously, I know it’s not reasonable, but if I could, I would wanna be out there every single play. So, however many opportunities that I get this year, I’m gonna try to make the most out of every single one.”
However, there is a red flag that the Packers have to keep an eye on.
Watson has been injured in each of the past four years. He had to miss significant time in the 2023 and 2025 seasons because of some of those injuries. If something like that happens this season, Love would be put at risk.
Christian Watson has yet to earn an overwhelming approval
Watson has got his contract. He’ll get the chance he wanted to be competitive. But it’s also on him to not let the Packers down, now that he’s essentially a lock for four years.
As FanSided’s Austin Bundy pointed out, no Green Bay receiver has crossed the 1,000-yard mark since Davante Adams in 2021. Love and former Packers QB Malik Willis held their ground during the regular season by spreading out their targets in the passing attack. But during the postseason, not having a playmaker in the WR room caught up to the Packers. Watson has been given the extension with hopes that he’d be the answer to this problem.
But if he’s not, the Packers can be inclined to pivot.
“The team drafted Matthew Golden for a reason and head coach Matt LaFleur shouldn’t hesitate to promote him if Watson isn’t picking up the slack,” Bundy wrote.
Even though Golden has it tougher than Watson this year after an injury-marred rookie season, there are other options the team can consider. Along with Watson, Jayden Reed has also been signed to an extension. And as pointed out by Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton, there’s also tight end Tucker Kraft, who has been a reliable pass-catching target for the past three seasons.
Christian Watson has the green light to play a bigger role in the offense with this extension. We will have to wait for the season to see if he delivers what is expected of him.
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