GREEN BAY \u2014 Christian Watson didn\u2019t catch a single pass during Wednesday\u2019s first open-to-the-media organized team activity practice.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Well, he did catch the same ball over and over again on the Ray Nitschke Field sideline, throwing it above his head repeatedly while his Green Bay Packers teammates practiced for real \u2014 or at least as real as an offseason practice can be in helmets and shorts.<\/p>\n
And yet, while the Packers big, fast fourth-year wide receiver didn\u2019t do much beyond stretching, jogging and observing, it was almost impossible to leave the field without being encouraged about his chances of coming back early from the torn ACL he suffered in his right knee in the team\u2019s regular-season finale against the Chicago Bears on Jan. 5.<\/p>\n
Head coach Matt LaFleur certainly was.<\/p>\n
\u201cChristian\u2019s doing outstanding. I would say he\u2019s ahead of schedule,\u201d LaFleur said after practice. \u201cBut again, I\u2019m not a doctor. I\u2019m not [on the] medical staff. So we\u2019ll see where he\u2019s at.\u201d<\/p>\n
After dealing with persistent hamstring issues during his first two NFL seasons, Watson finally stayed healthy for 15 games last season, missing a Week 5 win over the Los Angeles Rams with an ankle injury and a Week17 loss to the Minnesota Vikings with a minor left knee injury \u2014 an injury that was going to keep him out of the Bears game the following week before fellow wide receiver Romeo Doubs fell ill and was inactive.<\/p>\n
Then he went down against the Bears, ending his season and creating uncertainty heading into the 2025 campaign.<\/p>\n
Despite Watson taking part in the pre-practice stretch period with his teammates and walking around without a support brace or a noticeable limp on Wednesday, the timing of his injury means it\u2019ll be an uphill battle for him to be cleared by the Packers\u2019 notoriously cautious medical staff before the midpoint of the regular season.<\/p>\n
He’ll almost certainly start training camp on July 23 on the physically unable to perform list, and he\u2019ll probably still be there when the Packers open the 2025 campaign against the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field on Sept. 7.<\/p>\n
Players who start the season on the PUP list must sit out at least the first four games before the team can open a 21-day practice window for them to ramp up their participation and be added to the 53-man roster.<\/p>\n
With the Packers having their bye in Week 5, Watson could conceivably sit out the first four games, then aim to return for the team\u2019s Oct. 12 game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Lambeau Field.<\/p>\n
The Packers\u2019 next two games are on the road \u2014 Oct. 19 game at Arizona and Oct. 26 at Pittsburgh \u2014 before home games against the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 2 and the Philadelphia Eagles on Nov. 10.<\/p>\n
For such a comeback to happen, Watson would need to avoid any setbacks over the next five months, of course.<\/p>\n