GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson has returned to practice as he moves a step closer to playing again after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament nine months ago.
“I’ve got to knock a little bit of rust off, obviously,” Watson said after Monday’s practice. “Been a while since I was able to go out there and play football.”
Watson tore his right ACL on Jan. 5 during the Packers’ 24-22 loss to Chicago that closed their 2024 regular season. The Packers placed him on the physically unable to perform list before this season.
His return to practice starts a 21-day window before the Packers must activate him in order for him to play this year.
“I haven’t really taken a day off since my surgery,” Watson said. “I mean, it’s just been a long road. I’ve just trusted in my doctors and my team back home and trusting in the training room as well and just getting after it.”
Watson, a 2022 second-round pick from North Dakota State, has 98 career catches for 1,653 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also has two career touchdown runs.
{{/usCountry}}Watson, a 2022 second-round pick from North Dakota State, has 98 career catches for 1,653 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also has two career touchdown runs.
{{/usCountry}}He had 29 receptions for 620 yards and two touchdowns last season.
The 26-year-old Watson expressed confidence Monday about the condition of his knee.
“My trust and confidence in the knee is honestly 100%," he said. "I’ve tried to remove any doubt or negative thoughts about it, just trusting the work that I put in and understand the things that I did today, I’ve done them thousands of times at this point.”
The Packers (2-1-1) return from a bye week to host the Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) on Sunday.
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