Packers WR Christian Watson has missed 11 games in two seasons, all because of a recurring pulled hamstring in his right leg. Once highly touted as a speed receiver, his hamstring has single-handedly marred his first two seasons. But the rising WR may have finally found the solution to his pesky problems, and all it took was eight hours of testing this offseason.
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Going into the offseason, Packers HC Matt LaFleur was ready to throw every resource at the wall to figure out Watson’s Hammy problem. And figure out, they did. After eight hours of testing at the University of Wisconsin’s School of Medicine and Public Health, the team was able to pinpoint muscle balance in his legs as a potential contributing factor to his hamstring issue.
According to ESPN, Watson explained after an OTA practice:
“For me, it really was the asymmetry between the legs…I’ve been attacking the strength side of it, trying to get that symmetry back and it’s been huge for me. I feel really, really good. I gotta continue grinding at it.”
The WR had a 20% difference in muscle mass between his right and left legs during his first visit at U of Wisconsin, and now it is between 8% and 10%, per ESPN.
Christian Watson went down to UW-Madison this Offseason with Eric Stokes to find the cause of their hamstring issues, with Watson finding out there's a difference in his muscle mass in his legs, with his right leg being 20% less than his left. Since he found out, He's dropped the… pic.twitter.com/SyTHWOugGl
— Easton Butler (@Easton__Butler) May 24, 2024
Hopefully figuring this out would mean the end of recurring absences of the WR from the gridiron. The Packers offense needs a healthy Watson to pack a punch as a unit. Despite a loaded WR room, no one is a match for Watson, with his 15.0 yards per catch average over his first two seasons. However, his inconsistency could be the stick that breaks the camel’s back and finally forces Green Bay to put all its energies into finding a replacement.
The Next Season is Going to Be Crucial For Christian Watson’s Future in Green Bay
The Packers are certainly not lacking in the WR room, with young talent at the position with Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks, Malik Heath, Bo Melton, and others. And if push comes to shove, they will not be too distraught to let go of Watson. However, everyone wants to avoid that situation.
While he went into last season viewed as the No. 1 WR for the Packers, he came out of the season four places behind. The WR finished fourth on the team in catches behind Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, and Dontayvion Wicks, and has already fallen behind on the depth chart. Not to mention, Jordan Love has already become accustomed to throwing to different receiving hands. So, it’s now or never for Watson.
With two years remaining on his deal, the WR’s time is limited and this year would be crucial for the WR to fix his asymmetry issue, stay healthy, and come out on top.
