Christian Watson gets $13.25 million Packers extension as he rehabs knee injury

The Packers handed wide receiver Christian Watson a contract extension on Tuesday, even with the 26-year-old rehabbing from a torn ACL. 

The one-year extension is worth $13.25 million and keeps Watson in Green Bay through the 2026 season, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported. 

Watson has been on the Physically Unable to Perform list and is expected to be back on the field later in the season. 

The wide receiver’s 2024 campaign ended earlier than expected when he had to undergo ACL surgery after suffering the injury during Week 18. 

General manager Brian Gutekunst has spoken positively about Watson’s recovery during training camp last month. 

“When you see him run … like you want to throw him out there, right?” Gutekunst said, according to ESPN. “But there’s kind of a timeline with these ACLs, and we’re certainly, he’s ahead of the curve. There’s no doubt about it, but at the same time he’s got a long career in front of him, so we want to make sure we take the proper steps and we don’t skip any steps along the way.

“After that fourth game, I’m sure he’s going to be chomping at the bit, and it’s going take a lot of us to hold him back.”

Watson is in the final year of a four-year rookie contract. 

The receiver had made 29 catches for 620 yards and two touchdowns in 2024.

Watson was selected in the second round in 2022 and went on to play 14 games in his rookie season, making 41 catches for 611 yards and seven touchdowns for Green Bay. 

During his three seasons in the league, he’s missed 13 regular-season games while making 98 catches for 1,653 yards and 14 touchdowns.