The Green Bay Packers know rookie Christian Watson is missing valuable time as he recovers from a knee injury on the PUP list, but everyone is confident he’ll catch up quickly – given his intelligence and athleticism – once he’s back on the field.
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he’s not worried at all about Watson’s absence.
“It’s not a big concern. He’s a really smart kid,” Rodgers said. “He is a smart kid. It’d be nice to get him off the PUP so he could do some of the walkthrough stuff, but he’ll be fine. He’s super athletic. He went through the entire offseason program with us, the OTAs, minicamp. He’s been in my hip pocket, asking questions after periods and during individual time. I’m not worried about him.”
The Packers took Watson with the 34th overall pick. He figures to play a big part in the Packers passing game once he’s back on the field, but he’s currently missing the important on-field opportunities working with Rodgers and the rest of the offense.
Watson needed surgery on his right knee to correct an issue that popped up during the offseason program.
“Not too concerned with it long term,” general manager Brian Gutekunst said Wednesday. “Any time a player misses the time they are missing now, they are going to be in catchup mode. He’s a really smart guy, I know he works really hard, he’s got really good work habits, so I know he’ll get there. But you’d love to have him out there right now. Again, he’s a young player that we have a lot of hope for, and expect him to be a big part of what we’re doing moving forward, so we’re not going to rush it.”
Rodgers said receivers build trust with him through “performance” and “preparation,” and it’s clear Watson is doing what he can on the preparation front.
The Packers haven’t provided a specific timeline on Watson’s return.
“It’s definitely frustrating, but I’ve tried not to let that affect me too much,” Watson said. “There are still things I can do to get better and still be a part of everything, taking mental reps and still being in the playbook. So I try to look at positives and kind of stay away from the negatives.”