Acme Packing Company
4 years and $110.5 million is a lot of time and money to invest in a football player. That’s the new term on the contract that the Green Bay Packers just gave Christian Watson, and sure, it is a lot, both objectively and in the context of the NFL.
But while there has been plenty of hand-wringing about the contract from fans of other NFL teams or national writers, it’s telling that those who cover the Packers — beat writers included — are fans of the deal. Watson is a game-changer, and he had a major breakout last season. In all likelihood, he would have eclipsed 1,000 yards had he not missed 6 games due to his recovery from a torn ACL and a seventh sitting in a meaningless game at the end of the year. Meanwhile, his efficiency numbers put him among the best wide receivers in the NFL.
It felt like the reaction to this deal is a good litmus test of football knowledge, as Aaron Nagler put it.
If you still need more thorough explanations on why this deal is a really solid one for the Packers, check out Jon Meerdink’s piece here at APC yesterday, or Paul Noonan’s, or my own look at how this is effectively a 5-year, $116 million contract instead. Or don’t take our word for it — let’s look at reactions from around the rest of the Packers blogosphere.
Packers sign WR Christian Watson to contract extension | Packers.com Here’s the official announcement on the deal from the organization.
Christian Watson contract analysis: Packers lock down most valuable WR | Packers Wire Remember the guarantees (or lack thereof) in this deal when the structure is fully revealed. In all likelihood, the only guaranteed money will be the $31 million signing bonus, keeping this a team-friendly structure.
Grading Christian Watson’s Staggering Contract Extension With Packers | SI.com
“Staggering” from an outside perspective, maybe, and if you’ve only looked at raw counting stats. But this article goes on to confirm that the deal is a win-win for both sides.
What Zaire Franklin and Javon Hargrave give the Packers | ESPN
On the other side of the ball, the Packers added some veteran presence to their defense this offseason, and the fact that both players have worked extensively with Jonathan Gannon in the past should help ease the defense’s transition to his scheme.
FIFA ‘regrets’ free World Cup tickets and demands fans pay up | Skysports.com
It’s no surprise to anyone who follows world soccer that the word between between “FIFA” and “free” would be a form of regret.
