GREEN BAY – Christian Watson may’ve had a full offseason to sulk over how his 2024 marketing campaign ended if he’d so chosen.
However that is by no means been his fashion.
After tearing his anterior cruciate ligament within the Packers’ regular-season finale in opposition to Chicago, Watson picked himself up and instantly set out on the comeback path.
Any time which will have been out there for Watson to be apologetic about his scenario was put towards the fourth-year receiver getting again on the sector as quickly as humanly potential.
“It is undoubtedly powerful. Anytime you’ve gotten an harm like this, it is undoubtedly going to take its toll on you,” mentioned Watson after observe on Wednesday.
“However I’ve gone by lots of adversity. Nothing like this, however I really feel like I used to be calloused for it somewhat bit and I had the fitting mentality going into it and it has been holding that the entire approach by.”
Maybe that mindset is why Watson seems to be this good this quickly. Whereas there isn’t any timetable on Watson’s return to motion, Head Coach Matt LaFleur and Basic Supervisor Brian Gutekunst have given Watson rave critiques for the way he is attacked his rehab.
Followers at Nitschke Subject have been handled to a few of it for the reason that begin of coaching camp final month, because the 6-foot-4, 208-pound receiver usually may be seen operating sprints throughout observe.
As of Tuesday, it has been precisely seven months since Watson’s proper knee gave out close to midfield in opposition to Chicago. He’d by no means torn his ACL earlier than however knew instantly what was fallacious.
“You sort of know your physique and if you really feel one thing like that you simply simply sort of know, sadly,” Watson mentioned.
It was a troublesome blow for Watson, who’s in a contract yr and was one of many NFL’s most explosive wideouts final season. Bouncing again from the hamstring accidents that hampered him in 2023, Watson had 29 catches for 620 yards (20.9 yards per reception) by the primary 15 video games final yr.
Watson underwent reconstructive knee surgical procedure a pair weeks after the Packers’ wild-card loss to Philadelphia earlier than heading residence to Florida to get his rehab in full swing.
Whereas understanding in Davie, Watson related with veteran receiver Stefon Diggs, who tore his ACL final October. The four-time Professional Bowler offered lots of perception into the method that helped Watson start to run his personal race.
Watson additionally bumped into a well-known face in Florida – fellow Packers wideout Jayden Reed, who’s been impressed with how his teammate has responded within the wake of the ACL harm.
“His spirit’s been nice,” Reed mentioned. “He is all the time stored a smile on his face, and I actually commend him for that as a result of it is not straightforward simply watching every single day. I understand how that feels. He is accomplished an awesome job of being an awesome chief, teaching us up every time we want it. He is simply been nice. I am excited for his return.”
Watson stayed across the workforce all through the offseason program, offering a priceless useful resource to a receiving corps filled with younger playmakers.
The Packers not solely returned Reed, Romeo Doubs and Dontayvion Wicks on the high of the depth chart but additionally drafted two extra prospects this previous April: Texas’ Matthew Golden within the first spherical and TCU’s Savion Williams within the third.
Because the competitors heats up in that room, it is solely additional motivated Watson in his personal rehab and exercises.
“It is simpler to essentially get after it if you’ve bought different guys getting after it, too,” Watson mentioned. “They’ve undoubtedly bought the fitting mentality, as quickly as they walked in, and we have all seen it on the market, them making performs.”
The problem for the Packers has been balancing Watson’s resiliency with the dimensions of his harm. Continuing with cautious optimism, the workforce continues to observe endurance, and Watson is absolutely on board with that plan.
In some areas, the 26-year-old receiver feels 100% once more. He is operating with out limitation and feels assured together with his cuts but additionally acknowledges he isn’t going full blast but.
One factor Watson says with out hesitation is he is nonetheless the quickest participant in a Packers uniform, and he seems to be ahead to placing that on show as soon as No. 9 is again on the observe subject.
“Little question,” mentioned Watson when requested if he is nonetheless the quickest participant on the workforce. “I have been saying it to all people who has something to say. I am going to race anyone proper now and I am nonetheless taking the dub.”
There isn’t any “woe is me” in Watson’s larynx. He hasn’t let final season’s disappointment distract him from this yr’s targets.
To get again on the sector, he is adhering to a strict “someday at a time” mentality whereas trying ahead to the plan the coaching employees offers him every day. When the inexperienced mild comes, Watson is keen to indicate the soccer world he nonetheless has a lot left to present.
“It is simply life,” Watson mentioned. “I do know that there is approach worse conditions that I may very well be coping with than attending to play on the highest stage and having to cope with some stuff that occurs to be part of the sport.
“It is a powerful sport, rather a lot on the physique, however I am simply grateful for the place I am at whatever the scenario, appreciative of that. I all the time sort of fall again on that, embracing God’s plan.”
