The Green Bay Packers and Christian Watson agreed to terms on a one-year, $13.25 million contract extension. ESPN’s Adam Schefter first reported the news. The extension keeps Watson under contract with the Packers through the 2026 season. Watson is currently on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list while recovering from a torn ACL that he suffered on January 5, 2025, against the Chicago Bears.

Despite working back from a serious knee injury, the Packers and Watson both acted in good faith in getting this extension done. The base of the deal is actually a one-year extension worth $11 million. There is $6 million guaranteed via his signing bonus. The $6 million will likely be added to 2025, leaving $5 million to be added to 2026.. His base salary will remain a low number.

Watson is a player and person that every locker room is lucky to have, and the Packers made sure to keep him around for another year. Despite the injury, the Packers know the value Watson has. “He’s ahead of the curve. There’s no doubt about it,” said general manager Brian Gutekunst. “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.

A No-Brainer Move

Suffering a serious injury ahead of a contract season was rough timing for Watson. Watson was slated to be a free agent at the end of this season. He is expected to miss at least half of the season, which would likely have limited his open market value. The Packers know Watson better than anyone. The team has always thought highly of Watson. Bringing him back was a no-brainer move. 

Christian Watson has evolved into one of the core locker room guys for the Packers. He is a selfless player who works his tail off as a blocker. When Watson is on the field, the Packers’ offense is entirely different. He also brings the element of speed that no one else offers. Watson believes he’s the fastest player on the team, even while having an injured knee. When asked about it, Watson replied, “No doubt. I’ve been saying it to everybody who has anything to say. I’ll race anybody right now, and I’m still taking the dub.”

The Packers prioritized bringing Watson back, but the challenge was finding an appropriate contract that made sense for both sides. When looking at some other recent deals, this deal looks very fair, yet favorable for both the Packers and Watson. For the Packers, they were able to extend Watson for less money than he might have received on the open market. Had he returned from injury and played well, his price was only going to increase. They were also able to extend him at a fair cost without guaranteeing the full contract. 

Watson seems to have the respect of not only his coaches but also his peers. He has a positive demeanor and strong outlook. “His spirit’s been great. He’s always kept a smile on his face, and I really commend him for that because it’s not easy just watching every day. I know how that feels,” teammate Jayden Reed said. “He’s done a great job of being a great leader, coaching us up whenever we need it. He’s just been great. I’m excited for his return.”

Watson could’ve gambled and waited this process out so he could hit free agency. It’s not far-fetched to assume another NFL team would throw quite a bit of money at him. But Watson has always seemed to love being part of the Packers organization. Watson still gets a solid payday coming off a big knee injury, but now he doesn’t have to rush his rehab and has some assurances heading into 2026. 

Finding a Fair Market Value

This one-year extension serves as a de facto fifth-year option for Watson. It was reported that the Packers worked aggressively to trade back into the first round of the 2022 draft to get Watson. They were unable to move back into the first round, but they were able to move up to 34th overall. Since Watson was a second-round pick, there was no fifth-year option available on his rookie contract. Had Watson been a first-round pick, the Packers could have picked up his fifth-year option for around $15 million. Wide receivers Drake London (~$16.8 million) and Chris Olave (~$15.5 million) were both first-round draft picks who had their fifth-year options picked up.

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Below are some players with comparable career production to Watson. Rashod Bateman, a 2021 first-round draft pick, recently signed a three-year, $36.75 million extension with $20 million guaranteed. He has a greater sample size of games played, but Watson has higher totals in touchdowns, average depth of target (ADOT), yards per reception, and yards after catch. He has also dropped fewer passes. By many metrics, Watson has been the more productive player when healthy, and that’s reflected by being paid a higher annual average value (AAV).

Khalil Shakir, a fifth-round draft pick in 2022, signed a four-year, $53.038 million extension with $29.952 guaranteed. Shakir also has played more than Watson, but Watson has been more effective when on the field. Watson has higher totals in touchdowns, yards per reception, and ADOT. Shakir isn’t known for being a vertical threat, but both players have recorded similar yardage. Shakir and Watson both have about the same AAV.

Jameson Williams, a first-round draft pick in 2022, recently signed a three-year, $83 million extension with $67 million guaranteed. Like Watson, Williams has also missed a decent amount of time throughout his career. Williams was also suspended two years ago for violating the NFL’s gambling policy. In terms of production, Watson has the edge. He’s recorded more receptions, yards, touchdowns, ADOT, and yards per reception. Watson also drops fewer passes. The difference is that Williams is earning $27.67 million per season – more than twice as much as Watson.

Wide receiver money can be absurd. TuTu Atwell and Dyami Brown both received $10 million deals. Allen Lazard earned $11 million per year over four seasons. Darius Slayton is earning $12 million per year over three seasons. Josh Palmer is earning $10 million per year over three seasons. These are all players who aren’t nearly as good as Christian Watson, yet received solid paydays. All things considered, Watson’s deal is the best bang for a buck.

Looking Ahead

By all accounts, Watson is ahead of schedule with his rehab. His coaches and teammates have described his progress and mindset as great. “He’s a freak. He did a run test the other day and looked great. It’s an ACL, so we’re going to take our time with him, but he’s pressing to get out there.” The Packers are expecting to get him back later this season, but they won’t compromise his long-term health for short-term gain.

Watson’s dad, Tazim Wajid Wajed, weighed in on the deal on Tuesday night. “It was really simple to me,” he wrote on X. “ You show loyalty to those who show loyalty to you. The Packers know exactly what they have in Christian, and Christian is really enamored with the culture and team of the Packers.”

It’s not common to come across a 6’4”, 208 lb wide receiver who can run the 40-yard dash in 4.3 seconds. It’s even less common to find a wide receiver like that who works just as hard as a blocker. Knowing what Watson brings to the Packers’ offense, the Packers made it a priority to secure Watson for another season. This is a win-win situation for both parties.