Ex-Highly Touted Packers Rookie on 'Thin Ice' Despite Rehab Progress: Analyst

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USA Today’s Nate Davis argued Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson is on thin ice entering the 2025 NFL season.

The Green Bay Packers had high expectations for second-round pick Christian Watson when he came into the league during the 2022 NFL Draft. But now entering his fourth season in the league, Watson might be on his last chance with Green Bay.

That’s what USA Today’s Nate Davis argued at the conclusion of the 2025 NFL Draft. Davis included Watson on a list of 17 NFL veterans on “thin ice” entering this fall.

“Supremely talented, he’s also missed 13 games over his first three seasons – and that was before tearing his ACL on Jan. 5 during Week 18,” Davis wrote. “Watson is set to a free agent in 2026 and could be an odd man out for a team that just took WRs Matthew Golden (Round 1) and Savion Williams (Round 3).”

Watson suffered a torn ACL in the Week 18 defeat against the Chicago Bears. Obviously, he missed the playoff contest the following week versus the Philadelphia Eagles.

Because of the injury, the receiver, who turns 26 on May 12, might not be ready to return at all during the 2025 season.

Watson came to the Packers as a highly regarded prospect who could have been a first-round choice. Green Bay selected the receiver at No. 34 overall in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft.

Packers’ Christian Watson Provides Positive Update in ACL Recovery

The typical recovery time from an ACL tear for an NFL player is 9-12 months. If Watson’s recovery is on the longer end of that spectrum, then the receiver likely won’t play during the 2025 regular season.

As Davis explained, that wouldn’t be good for his Packers future.

Watson, though, is aggressively attacking his rehab process as he has in the past.

“Recovery’s going really well. I’m in a really, really good spot,” Watson told reporters on May 4, via FOX 11’s Ellie French. “Just keeping the mentality there. Just working.

“I’ve got a couple more months ahead of me, but I’m attacking it every day. I’m in a really good spot.”

Watson dealt with a knee injury even before playing a game for the Packers. During his first NFL offseason, he underwent knee surgery to repair a minor injury. That caused him to miss a majority of his first NFL training camp.

In 2023, Watson sat out the first three weeks because of a hamstring injury.

The receiver played in a career-high 15 games last season. Behind that playing time, Watson registered a career-best 620 receiving yards.

But obviously, the torn ACL gave Watson a bitter ending to the 2024 campaign.

What Will Watson’s Future Hold?

As Davis explained, Watson is very talented. That’s why the Packers drafted him in the second round, which, as Green Bay fans know, is a big deal.

In 2025, the Packers selected Texas receiver Matthew Golden at No. 23 overall. But from 2003-23, Green Bay never drafted a receiver higher than it did with Watson.

Given that fact, one could argue no other receiver over the past 20 years (before Golden) arrived in Green Bay with as much expectations as Watson.

His tenure with the Packers, though, could greatly depend on how quickly he returns to the field this fall. With Watson’s inability to complete a season fully healthy, he’s not guaranteed to be part of Green Bay’s future plans if he doesn’t play in 2025.

When on the field, Watson has been somewhat underwhelming. While he averaged 21.4 yards per catch in 2024, he’s caught under 54% of his targets the past two years. He also hauled in only two touchdowns during 2024.

In three NFL seasons, Watson has yet to have more than 41 catches or reach 700 receiving yards during a single season. It’s highly unlikely, because of the ACL injury, he will reach either of those plateaus in 2025.

Watson might have to make the most of what few games he could play late in the 2025 season to convince the Packers he’s worth another contract before 2026 free agency.

Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb