Packers' Christian Watson has big
goals for himself after signing big contract
[June 10, 2026]
By STEVE MEGARGEE
GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Christian Watson appreciated the faith the
Green Bay Packers showed in him even when he believed he didn’t
necessarily deserve it.
Now that they’ve given him a contract extension, Watson wants to
reward them by staying healthy and producing the best season of his
career.
“I try not to look into the number stuff too much,” Watson said
Tuesday while speaking to reporters for the first time since signing
his four-year extension last week. “I take it week by week. But if
I’m really searching and I want to set personal goals, I definitely
want to have double-digit touchdowns and I want to have over 1,100
yards.”
Watson, 27, has never accumulated more than 41 catches or 620 yards
receiving in any of his four seasons, but he showed last year that
he’s capable of doing much more if he can avoid injuries.
After tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament in Green Bay’s
2024 regular-season finale, Watson missed the Packers’ first six
contests last year but returned to catch 35 passes for 611 yards and
six touchdowns in 10 games.
Now he has a $31 million signing bonus as part of a four-year
extension that’s worth up to $110.5 when incentives are included,
though the contract’s base value is about $92 million.
“They gave me countless amounts of chances when it seemed like I
shouldn’t have had those chances anymore,” Watson said. “Not to say
that I’m paying them back for it or anything – I think we both won
on the deal – and I’ve got an opportunity to still earn those
dollars, guaranteed or not. I feel like I’m in a good spot.”
Indeed, Watson has gone through plenty of highs and lows since the
Packers selected him out of North Dakota State in the second round
of the 2022 draft.
He opened his career by getting wide open deep but dropping a
potential touchdown catch from Aaron Rodgers. Watson bounced back to
score eight touchdowns in a four-game stretch later in his rookie
season, but he missed eight games due to hamstring injuries in 2023.
Injuries have limited him to a total of 48 games over his first four
seasons.
Yet he never doubted the possibility he could earn this type of
long-term deal.
“Obviously there was always the down times right in that moment,”
Watson said. “You drop a pass or something, or you have a hamstring
or something. In that moment, I was definitely feeling sorry for
myself a little bit. But I feel like I always did a really good job
of bouncing back. I had really good, great people around me who
helped me bounce back. I never think I stayed down too long. I think
the positive mindset was always there.”
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Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson works out during
NFL football practice, Tuesday, June 9, 2026, in Green Bay, Wis. (AP
Photo/Kayla Wolf)
Watson’s extension drew rave reviews from his
teammates.
“It’s a testament to the work he puts in, the type of player he is,
who he is in this locker room,” quarterback Jordan Love said.
Watson has won the respect of his teammates and coaches for the way
he navigated all these challenges, particularly in the work he did
to get back into peak form so soon after tearing his ACL.
“He embodies what we want to be about,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur
said. “I think he’s a team-first kind of guy. Never once over the
course of four years have I ever heard him complain about not
getting the ball. He does all the little things the right way.”
Watson’s extension comes during an offseason in which the Packers
clarified the pecking order of their receiving room.
Now that Romeo Doubs has signed with New England and Dontayvion
Wicks has been traded to Philadelphia, the Packers head into the
season with Watson, Jayden Reed and 2025 first-round draft pick
Matthew Golden as their clear-cut top three wideouts. Reed agreed to
a three-year, $50.25 million extension in April.
“Just to have the foundation of our offense locked in for the next
couple of years I think will be huge for us just in terms of finding
consistency in our offense,” Watson said. “And just having those
go-to guys available for the long-term I think will definitely be
big for us in the flow of our offense.”
Watson intends to be a big part of that foundation for years to come
“I’m going to be thankful every single day that I get to step out on
that field, to be honest,” Watson said. “For sure, I’m going to go
out there every day with the mindset to continue to earn that
contract every single day.”
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