Packers' Christian Watson has big goals for himself after signing big contract

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Christian Watson appreciated the faith the Green Bay Packers showed in him even when he believed he didn't necessarily deserve it. Now that they've given him a contract extension, Watson wants to reward them by staying healthy and producing the best season of his career. "I try not to look into the number stuff too much," Watson said Tuesday while speaking to reporters for the first time since signing his four-year extension last week. "I take it week by week. But if I'm really searching and I want to set personal goals, I definitely want to have double-digit touchdowns and I want to have over 1,100 yards." Watson, 27, has never accumulated more than 41 catches or 620 yards receiving in any of his four seasons, but he showed last year that he's capable of doing much more if he can avoid injuries. After tearing his right anterior cruciate ligament in Green Bay's 2024 regular-season finale, Watson missed the Packers' first six contests last year but returned to catch 35 passes for 611 yards and six touchdowns in 10 games. Now he has a $31 million signing bonus as part of a four-year extension that's worth up to $110.5 million when incentives are included, though the contract's base value is about $92 million. "They gave me countless amounts of chances when it seemed like I shouldn't have had those chances anymore," Watson said. "Not to say that I'm paying them back for it or anything – I think we both won on the deal – and I've got an opportunity to still earn those dollars, guaranteed or not. I feel like I'm in a good spot." Indeed, Watson has gone through plenty of highs and lows since the Packers selected him out of North Dakota State in the second round of the 2022 draft. He opened his career by getting wide open deep but dropping a potential touchdown catch from Aaron Rodgers. Watson bounced back to score eight touchdowns in a four-game stretch later in his rookie season, but he missed eight games due to hamstring injuries in 2023. Injuries have limited him to a total of 48 games over his first four seasons. Yet he never doubted the possibility he could earn this type of long-term deal. "Obviously there was always the down times right in that moment," Watson said. "You drop a pass or something, or you have a hamstring or something. In that moment, I was definitely feeling sorry for myself a little bit. But I feel like I always did a really good job of bouncing back. I had really good, great people around me who helped me bounce back. I never think I stayed down too long. I think the positive mindset was always there." Watson's extension drew rave reviews from his teammates. "It's a testament to the work he puts in, the type of player he is, who he is in this locker room," quarterback Jordan Love said. Watson has won the respect of his teammates and coaches for the way he navigated all these challenges, particularly in the work he did to get back into peak form so soon after tearing his ACL. "He embodies what we want to be about," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. "I think he's a team-first kind of guy. Never once over the course of four years have I ever heard him complain about not getting the ball. He does all the little things the right way." Watson's extension comes during an offseason in which the Packers clarified the pecking order of their receiving room. Now that Romeo Doubs has signed with New England and Dontayvion Wicks has been traded to Philadelphia, the Packers head into the season with Watson, Jayden Reed and 2025 first-round draft pick Matthew Golden as their clear-cut top three wideouts. Reed agreed to a three-year, $50.25 million extension in April. "Just to have the foundation of our offense locked in for the next couple of years I think will be huge for us just in terms of finding consistency in our offense," Watson said. "And just having those go-to guys available for the long-term I think will definitely be big for us in the flow of our offense." Watson intends to be a big part of that foundation for years to come "I'm going to be thankful every single day that I get to step out on that field, to be honest," Watson said. "For sure, I'm going to go out there every day with the mindset to continue to earn that contract every single day."