Packers star discusses long-term hamstring troubles.
Christian Watson missed a significant amount of time in his first two NFL seasons. This offseason, he set a goal of finding a long-term solution to his hamstring troubles, and he has made progress. Watson, the No. 34 pick in the 2022 draft, came to Green Bay with high expectations. However, his rookie season was cut short at 11 games, and concerns about his ability to stay on the field for an entire season persisted last offseason. In 2023, the 25-year-old wideout missed the first three weeks as well as the final five games of the season due to recurring hamstring issues.
Following the season, Green Bay referred Watson to a specialist, who tested at the University of Wisconsin’s School of Medicine and Public Health. When asked about his healing procedure at the time, the North Dakota State alum indicated that his issue was caused by a lack of symmetry in his legs. Correcting this will go a long way toward avoiding future missed time.
“For me, it was the asymmetry between the legs,” Watson stated during OTAs, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky. “It is caused by a variety of factors. Obviously, the hamstring difficulties I’ve had in the past have not entirely recovered in terms of strength. I’ve been working on the strength side of things, trying to regain that symmetry, and it’s been big for me. I’m feeling extremely terrific.”
Watson also stated that shortly after testing at Wisconsin, the muscle mass differential between his right and left legs was approximately 20%. That figure has reduced somewhat since then, although he is still short of his objective of 6%. Of course, his growth will be monitored during OTAs and training camp, and his ultimate success will be determined by his availability on game days throughout the season.
For the time being, Watson and the Packers believe this offseason will be a watershed moment in terms of health. The team’s youthful receiving corps also includes Jayden Reed, Romeo Doubs, and Dontayvion Wicks, who performed admirably last season when Jordan Love took over as starting quarterback. Watson (who has averaged 15 yards per reception and 12 touchdowns in his career) will play an important role in 2024 and beyond if he stays healthy. Signs currently point to that being achievable, if he can stick to his treatment plan.
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