GREEN BAY, Wis. – Last year, Jordan Love finished seventh in passing yards and second in passing touchdowns as the Green Bay Packers’ first-year starting quarterback. He did it without much of an impact from the team’s best big-play threat.
Receiver Christian Watson played in nine of 17 games, missing the start and the end of the regular season with hamstring injuries. After a breakout second half to his 2022 rookie season fueled expectations for a prolific 2023, he finished fourth among the team’s receivers in snaps and logged 40.7 percent playing time.
This offseason, the Packers and Watson sought more than answers. They sought a solution. A lasting solution.
Maybe, just maybe, that mission was a success.
Watson didn’t miss a single practice from the start of OTAs in May through the end of training camp last week. Beginning with Friday’s season-opening game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Watson should be able to hit the ground running at full, dominant speed.
“That’s been my goal all offseason. That’s been my goal all along,” Watson said after Monday’s practice. “It hasn’t worked out for me like that in the past, but I’m taking it how I always have in terms of the mentality going into it. Every day, taking it day-by-day in terms of the health, but the excitement is there, for sure.
“This is how it’s supposed to be. It’s supposed to be 100 percent. I want to play 100 percent of the games. I want to play 100 percent of the practices. I’m right where I want to be.”
The hope is Watson will be a difference-maker from the start.
As a rookie, Watson missed three of the first seven games. Finally, in Game 10, Watson had his breakout performance with four catches for 107 yards and three touchdowns against Dallas. He had seven touchdowns in a four-game span – including a 63-yard catch-and-run from Love at Philadelphia – and three 100-yard games during the second half of the season.
That fueled outsized expectations entering last season. However, he missed the first three weeks with a hamstring issue. Finally, in Game 11, Watson found his gear. A first-play bomb highlighted his five catches for 94 yards and one touchdown in an upset win at Detroit. The next week, he caught seven passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns in an upset win over Kansas City as the Packers improved to 6-3 in games in which he’s scored.
However, Watson injured his hamstring toward the end of the game. He missed the final five games of the regular season and was a nonfactor with just two catches for 20 yards in two playoff games.
In 2022 and 2023, Watson had to build into becoming a game-changing weapon. The hope is the building was done during training camp and Watson will be at peak form against the Eagles.
“We all have seen how explosive and dynamic he is as a playmaker,” coach Matt LaFleur said on Monday, “whether we’re handing off a jet sweep like we did a couple years ago in Chicago, or in the passing game (and) making great catches.
“He is an important part of what we do. He’s a big, physical, fast guy, and not many of those guys exist. So, we certainly are a better offense when he’s at full strength.”
In Watson’s career, he has only game of 40-plus yards in September and October and only one touchdown in the first nine games of a season. Perhaps with a full training camp behind him, Watson will be ready to push a very good offense to greatness.
“I think that confidence is a big part about playing in this league,” Watson said. “Not to say that I wasn’t confident going into my rookie year, but there’s a lot to think about. There’s a lot of expectation. There’s a lot of weight on you.
“When you’re able to play a lot more free, you just have a lot more confidence and I think that’s where I’m at. I played a lot of games, in my eyes, in the league. Enough to where I know what I’m capable of. I know what to expect in certain situations and what to not expect sometimes. I definitely think I’m a different player but I’m ready to rock.”
More Green Bay Packers News
— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 2, 2024Jordan Love vs. the Eagles' secondary?
Saquon Barkley vs. the Packers' usually porous run defense?Here are the unit matchups, and who has the edge in those matchups, from @JacobWestendorf. ⬇️https://t.co/jNX7niZBvM
NFL.com’s Super Bowl poll | Malik Willis progress report | Packers-Eagles Monday injury report | Coordinator changes for both teams add to intrigue | 5,000 yards for Love? | Packers-Eagles matchups | Love vs. Eagles, the sequel | New kicker has GOAT goals | Sunday injury report | Grading every position group | Youngest roster again | Packers sign former fourth-round pick | What channel for Packers-Eagles?
