The Green Bay Packers might have designated wide receiver Christian Watson to return to the practice field this week, but they are not giving him the green light to make his 2025 season debut against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
The Packers opened Watson’s 21-day practice window to return from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list this week, getting him back on the practice field for the first time since he tore the ACL in his right knee in last January’s regular-season finale.
While Watson practiced as a limited participant in the first two sessions of the week, though, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur made it clear that he is not quite ready to return to the 53-man roster before they travel to take on the Bengals in Week 6.
“He won’t play this week,” LaFleur said Friday. “But he looked pretty damn good, so I’m excited for when that day comes. He’s definitely gonna add an element to our offense.”
Watson will have roughly two more weeks to practice while on the PUP list before the Packers must make a decision: either activate him to the 53-man roster or leave him on the PUP list for the remainder of the season. The former outcome seems the more likely after LaFleur’s comments about how his starting wide receiver has looked, though.
The Packers (2-1-1) will kick off against the Bengals (2-3) at 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Packers Can Afford Patience With Christian Watson
The Packers are eager to get Watson back on the field and make use of his dangerous speed, size and route-running ability in their offense, but the depth in their receiving corps means they have no reason to rush him through his 21-day activation window.
While Watson figures to rejoin the starting lineup when healthy, the Packers have not struggled much passing the ball in his absence. Romeo Doubs has been a trustworthy go-to receiver for quarterback Jordan Love, while Dontayvion Wicks and rookies Matthew Golden and Savion Williams have allowed Love to spread the ball around.
The Packers have also seen star tight end Tucker Kraft grab his third NFL season by the horns. Through four games, he leads the team in receiving yards (225), receptions (16) and targets (20), providing another valuable — and big-bodied — option for Love.
The results have paid off. While the Packers have fallen short of victory in each of their last two games, their passing offense rates 11th-best in the league through five weeks.
Love is also averaging the 10th-most passing yards per game (250.0 yards) and is tied for the eighth-most passing touchdowns (eight), despite playing one fewer game than all of the other quarterbacks ranked statistically higher than him heading into Week 6.
Watson should help with the efforts when the time comes to activate him. But with efficiency and depth aplenty, the Packers can take their time working him back in.
Will Packers Consider WR Trade When Watson Returns?
Watson is not ready to return to the lineup just yet for the Packers. But when the time comes in the next few weeks, could the Packers potentially consider trading away one of their other wide receivers before the NFL trade deadline arrives on November 4?
Doubs has been regularly mentioned as a potential trade target since before the start of the 2025 season, but the likelihood of the Packers dealing him away seems to dwindle more every week. He has become a pillar of consistency and reliability for the offense, doing more to earn himself consideration for a new contract than a midseason trade.
Wicks, however, could make more sense as a potential trade chip.
The Packers won’t likely rush out to trade one of their wide receivers, but they might be willing to listen to offers for Wicks if they feel their rookies — Golden and Williams — are ready to take on bigger roles in the offense. After all, the Packers could have some trouble trying to keep all of their receivers happy once Watson rejoins the mix, and it will only get more challenging when Jayden Reed (IR) returns later in the season.
Again, the Packers would likely need a strong offer to part ways with Wicks, who has improved in his third season and is under contract through next season, but doing so is something the team could consider so long as Watson’s return progress remains steady.
