Pro Football Rumors
The Packers entered the season with a deep receiving corps, but two of those players are unavailable. Jayden Reed has landed on IR due to a broken collarbone; the third-year wideout joins Christian Watson as sidelined Packer pass catchers.
Long expected to begin the season on the shelf — because of a Week 18 ACL tear — Watson has since signed a one-year, $11MM extension ($6.1MM guaranteed). That illustrates some faith on Green Bay’s part, though the team could be landing a potential bargain considering the value the former second-round pick would have brought as a 2026 free agent without the injury in the equation. And Watson looks to be moving closer to recovering from that setback.
The fourth-year weapon said (via The Athletic’s Matt Schneidman) he expects to see his practice window opened when first eligible. That would mean a Week 5 return to practice, but since the Packers have a bye that week, the North Dakota State product would have at least another week to prepare for a return. Though, the Packers could also slow-play the recovery process; they are typically cautious when it comes to injury returns.
Watson is also no longer a contract-year asset; the organization making a 2026 commitment would further point to caution. This offseason, a midseason return was floated as likely for Watson. If the Packers open his IR-return window in Week 5, he would need to be activated by Week 8. That would align with a midseason timetable. It could also be possible the Pack activate Watson but continue to ramp him up in practice without turning to him in a game.
Reed was to be a key part of Green Bay’s receiving corps, even after the team used first- and third-round picks on Matthew Golden and Savion Williams. The latter will need to play a bigger role for the Pack, who still have Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks as healthy pieces at receiver. Watson will likely be back during Reed’s absence, which opens the door for some help after the team’s 2023 and ’24 leading receiver rehabs two injuries (Reed also had attempted to play through a foot fracture to start the season).
While Watson and Reed’s skillsets do not overlap much, the period when both are available will crowd the team’s receiving corps. That would be a good problem to have for Green Bay, which has not seen a 1,000-yard season since trading Davante Adams. Watson also has not shown he can be counted on, having missed 13 games during his first three seasons. The deep threat does have two 600-plus-yard years on his resume, but the Packers were expecting more when they took him 34th overall in 2022. Watson saw a hamstring specialist during the 2024 offseason but also missed time with a high ankle sprain last year.
