Despite receiver Christian Watson being on the physically unable to perform list to start the season, as he recovers from his 2024 ACL tear, the Green Bay Packers have reportedly given Watson a one-year extension, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Watson was going into a contract year in 2025, meaning that he was set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season before this deal.
Per Schefter, the deal is worth $13.25 million, but full details of the extension have not been released. Watson has played
in 38 games and started 35 over his first three years in the NFL. Last year, he set a career high in receiving yards at 620, despite missing two regular-season games. In his rookie season, he set his career highs in receptions (41) and touchdowns (7).
With Watson’s deal done, the remaining starters who are in contract years for the Packers are receiver Romeo Doubs, left tackle Rasheed Walker, right guard Sean Rhyan and linebacker Quay Walker. This offseason, the 2023 draft class will become eligible for extensions, too. That class includes starters Lukas Van Ness, Jayden Reed, Tucker Kraft, Colby Wooden and possibly Carrington Valentine, depending on Green Bay’s plan once Nate Hobbs returns from injury.
As it stood before the Watson extension, the Packers were already going to have to borrow cap space from future seasons to field a roster in 2026. Now, they’re adding more cap pushing to their budget. Welcome to the credit card era, where general manager Brian Gutekunst is hoping to juice this roster for about three or so years before a planned rebuild.
