![\"Christian](\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/GettyImages-2188445618-e1748677836776.jpg?quality=65&strip=all&w=780\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The\u00a0Green Bay Packers\u00a0are not yet sure when wide receiver\u00a0Christian Watson\u00a0will return to the field following the torn ACL he sustained in January, but they are feeling encouraged about the progress he has made in his recovery thus far.<\/p>\n
During this week\u2019s OTAs, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters he believes Watson is \u201cahead of schedule\u201d in his ACL recovery, offering some hope that the deep-threat wide receiver could return earlier in the 2025 season than originally expected.<\/p>\n
\u201cChristian is doing outstanding,\u201d\u00a0LaFleur said Wednesday. \u201cI would say he\u2019s ahead of schedule, but again, I\u2019m not a doctor. I\u2019m not medical staff, so we\u2019ll see where he\u2019s at.\u201d<\/p>\n
Watson will likely still miss games to begin the 2025 season, potentially even starting the year on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list \u2014 which would sideline him for at least the first four games. After all, he will be nine months out from his ACL injury when the Packers kick off their season against the\u00a0Detroit Lions\u00a0on September 7.<\/p>\n
Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst even acknowledged the likelihood of Watson missing games while speaking with reporters at the NFL scouting combine in February.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously Christian is going to miss some time, probably, at the beginning, more than likely,\u201d\u00a0Gutekunst said. \u201cThat\u2019s going to create opportunities for some guys on the roster that I\u2019m excited for. We\u2019ll see how that shakes out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, Watson\u2019s swift progress in his recovery \u2014 if LaFleur\u2019s eye is true \u2014 could give him the chance of playing more games than not in 2025. The 2022 second-round pick is entering the final year of his rookie contract and will need to do his best to put his injury history behind him if he wants the Packers to renew their interest for 2026.<\/p>\n
![\"Packers](\"https:\/\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/thumbor\/sh73ZkKVZuIUaQP7kqrTXd_IS_8=\/1400x1050\/filters:format(jpeg)\/cdn.vox-cdn.com\/uploads\/chorus_asset\/file\/25667491\/2156110444.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
The Packers will happily take the win if Watson returns to the field early in the 2025 season, but they can afford to stay patient with him, given their new receiving depth.<\/p>\n
The Packers added multiple wide receivers to their roster during the 2025 offseason, signing veteran\u00a0Mecole Hardman Jr.\u00a0in free agency and drafting\u00a0Matthew Golden\u00a0and\u00a0Savion Williams\u00a0in the first and third rounds of the 2025 NFL draft, respectively. On top of that, they also return\u00a0Romeo Doubs,\u00a0Jayden Reed,\u00a0Dontayvion Wicks,\u00a0Bo Melton\u00a0and\u00a0Malik Heath\u00a0to their receiving corps with tight end\u00a0Tucker Kraft\u00a0in the mix as well.<\/p>\n
Put simply, the Packers are built to withstand a long wait with Watson, if necessary.<\/p>\n
At a minimum, the Packers\u2019 receiving depth makes it more likely than not that Watson will begin the season on one of their injury lists. They can shut him down for the short term and free up his roster spot for someone else while they wait for his full recovery.<\/p>\n
The move is a no-brainer \u2026 unless Watson pulls off the extraordinary.<\/p>\n
The Packers are swimming in capable wide receivers as they work through OTAs and may well want to keep it that way while they await Watson\u2019s return from his injury.<\/p>\n
If the competition is fierce enough to make decisions difficult at the 53-man roster cut deadline in August, though, the Packers could consider exploring their trade options.<\/p>\n
Doubs is the most heavily rumored trade candidate for the Packers, but he is likely too valuable for them to ship off, even with him entering the last year of his rookie deal. With two years left of contract control, Wicks and Reed are also unlikely immune from trade discussion, unless one grows unhappy and tries to force his way out of Green Bay.<\/p>\n
The bottom-roster spots are where things could get interesting. Melton and Heath have limited production in their NFL careers, but they could draw interest from teams with low waiver-wire priority if they shine in the preseason and look ready to contribute. Meanwhile, Hardman has become redundant after the Packers sunk two draft picks into wideouts in the spring and could fetch interest as a receiver and a return man.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Please enable cookies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":24495,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24494","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-green-bay-packers"],"yoast_head":"\n