The Green Bay Packers will enter the postseason without their wideout Christian Watson after he tore his ACL in a regular-season finale loss against the Chicago Bears. The news was confirmed by the Packers’ head coach, Matt LaFleur.
Watson dealt with knee issues earlier in the season and missed the Week 17 clash against the Minnesota Vikings due to this. He returned for the Bears game, most likely to ramp up his conditioning, but ended up playing just 10 snaps before going down with a non-contact injury. The initial tests on Watson’s knee showed an ACL tear as well as other damage.
Speaking with reporters on Monday, LaFleur said that Watson’s absence is a “huge loss” for the Packers.
“Just his presence on the field alone, he’s so versatile,” LaFleur added.
Watson ends his 2024 season with 29 receptions for 620 yards and two touchdowns. His 21.4 yards per catch are the most among all other Green Bay receivers by a large margin.
Since being drafted in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft, Christian Watson has shown potential as a lead receiver for the Packers. However, a series of injuries has prevented him from establishing himself as one.
Even before making his NFL debut, Watson had to undergo knee surgery, which caused him to miss the majority of training camp. He also dealt with a hamstring injury that limited him to just nine games in 2023.
The Packers also received some good news on Monday. Their quarterback Jordan Love, who exited the Bears game with an elbow injury, is expected to be under center for the first-round game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
