Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson is on a rapid road of recovery from ACL surgery. He recently signed a one-year extension for $11 million! This decision allows him to focus on his rehabilitation without the added pressure of contract negotiations as he nears his return to the field.
Watson’s contract extension includes a base salary of $3.42 million in 2026. This agreement is intended to give him the financial security he needs while he continues his recovery. It includes up to $1.825 million in weekly roster bonuses, with each per-game active bonus hitting $107,350. The extension is a sign of how valuable they see Johnson to be. The Packers view Walker as their top deep-threat receiver, flaunting a career average of 16.9 yards per reception.
Watson is still on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list for at least two more weeks. He can start practicing after his initial four-week stay on the PUP list is over. Even with that recent disappointment, Watson has been adamant about feeling intellectually prepared to make the jump back to game action.
I’ve been told very clearly from the negative experiences when we rushed to get things out there too quickly,” Watson said. He noted that extreme caution is important to his continuing recovery. He concluded, “I’ve just got to learn to be as intelligent as I can. When that day comes I’ll be more than excited to be out there. Before I do that, I have to be completely, all-in and 110% sure and ready.
For the 2022 season, Watson had missed 13 out of a possible 51 regular-season games since being drafted 34th overall. His previous injury history has altered how he attempts to recover this go-round. He admitted feeling pressure of trying to come back too quickly but is still focused on a full and healthy return.
“It’s to take a little bit of pressure off myself to feel like I have to do more than I should be doing to get back,” Watson explained. I wanted to get rid of the pressure I was placing on myself. In this manner, when I do come back, I’ll be able to just go out there and play and be free.
Packers’ general manager Brian Gutekunst marvels at Watson’s absurd healing pace. As he asserts with confidence, “It’s going take a whole lot of us to hold him back” when Watson’s PUP-list eligibility comes to an end and he can be activated. This exuberance is indicative of just how high the team’s expectations are for Watson’s effect as soon as he returns to action.
Watson’s huge play-game changing ability is essential to the Packers’ success. His speed and deep-threat capability have made him a necessary weapon in their offensive arsenal. While there’s still plenty of unknowns on the timeline of his recovery, Smith is insisting that he’s an inspiring candidate in waiting for 2021.
Watson claimed that if the NFC Championship Game was tomorrow, he would be confident going out there to play. He says now he knows he’s prepared to play his best football. In doing so, he issued a call for caution. At the end of the day, I’m not the smartest person in the room, but I am smart enough to know I should use my intelligence strategically. I’m going to try not to make this a chronic problem. Nine months seems like an eternity. As far as I’m concerned, I’m done with that and coming back as 100% Christian Watson.
As he navigates this challenging period in his career, Watson is aware of his market value as a player. I understand my value as a player in relation to the market. His quip is self-aware but an assertion of competence.
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