Christian Watson is closing in on a return from the knee injury which ended his 2024 season early.

The Green Bay Packers wide receiver spent the first four weeks of the 2025 campaign on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list as he rehabbed from the ACL tear he suffered in Green Bay’s loss to Chicago last December.

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After having his practice window opened, he took part for the first time since sustaining the injury on Monday as the Packers returned from their bye week. The team has 21 days to activate him to the active roster, and every indication is he will be back on the field soon.

When he does return and knocks off the rust, Watson could help take Green Bay’s offense to another level.

Since Week 10 of 2023, which is essentially when this current version of the Packers started to hit their stride, they averaged 28.8 points in 19 games with Watson, compared to just 23.8 in the 13 games he has missed. That is a significant difference.

The former second-round pick has a unique combination of size and speed and although he has not put up the kind of counting stats many had hoped, he has a gravitational pull for the Packers offense, dictating coverage due to his potential to take it to the house at any moment.

Whether he is catching passes himself, or opening up opportunities for teammates by drawing a defense’s attention, Green Bay’s offense is at its best, and most explosive, with Watson on the field.

With Jayden Reed out with a broken collarbone, simply having another quality pass catcher in the mix is important for Jordan Love and Green Bay’s offense, although Watson and Reed are decidedly different players.

The idea of Watson and Matthew Golden being on the field together is equal parts exciting for Matt LaFleur and nightmare inducing for opposing defense coordinators, with their combined speed providing a constant vertical threat.

It has been clear to see defenses efforting to take away Golden on deep routes at times this year. With Watson and Golden both on the field, it will be difficult to know which receiver to prioritize in coverage.

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It will be interesting to see how he is used specifically within the offense, and perhaps more pertinently, the knock on effect for the Packers’ other receivers.

Watson’s role is unlikely to really change much; he should still be used primarily as a deep threat, as those are the routes he runs best. His presence should help create openings underneath for the likes of Golden and Dontayvion Wicks, who are more shifty and agile.

The Packers have given Golden a fair amount of quick passes and handoffs in an attempt to use his speed after the catch, but he lacks the ability to make defenders miss or fight through tackles. Watson may be better suited to that role until Reed is back, and get some of those opportunities.

Green Bay’s plan for reintegrating Watson is unclear at this stage with regard to how quickly he can get back on the field in some capacity, but he had no support on his knee at practice, and it seems like the team has already been plenty cautious with him.

Watson said on September 16 that if the NFC Championship Game was the next day, he would have been confident to play. He told the media on Monday that he needs to “knock a little bit of rust off,” and he is not going to truly do that without playing.

If he is 100% healthy, this week’s game at home against the Bengals, a non-conference opponent who is missing their starting quarterback, could provide a soft landing for him to get some playing time.

Whether it is this week or next, Watson’s return is an exciting development for the Packers offense and its potential for the rest of the year.