The argument for Christian Watson among the NFC North’s top weapons goes beyond the box score
The wide receiver signed a four-year extension with the Packers this offseason, and Green Bay truly values what he brings to the table
The Green Bay Packers invested heavily in wide receiver Christian Watson with a four-year, $92 million extension, and his impact on the field suggests they had good reason to do so. In a discussion about building the ultimate NFC North roster, Watson’s candidacy for the third receiver spot behind Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson and Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown reveals just how much the Packers offense depends on him.
Watson vs. the competition
The obvious alternative for that flex wide receiver role is Minnesota Vikings receiver Jordan Addison, who has been more productive than Watson in raw output during their respective NFL careers. But production in a vacuum doesn’t capture the full picture.
Watson’s value extends beyond his individual stat line. Similar to what Jameson Williams does for the Detroit Lions, big in a more meaningful and varied way, Watson transforms Green Bay’s entire offensive operation when he’s on the field. That distinction separates him from other candidates in this exercise.
Watson’s production is not just theoretical or an abstraction. Especially last year, he was extremely productive for the Packers after coming back from an ACL injury. His yards per route run was 2.51, compared to 1.36 for Jordan Addison. His passer rating when targeted was 122.6, versus 74.7. The quarterback situation is totally different, but Watson was actually productive on the field.
Advanced numbers tell a clear story
With Watson on the field, the Packers’ offense posted a 0.088 EPA per play. Without him, that number dropped to 0.024. To put that gap in context, the difference translates to the equivalent of moving from the 10th-best offense in the NFL to the 17th-best in 2025, all because of one player who isn’t a quarterback.
Success rate tells a similar story. Green Bay’s offensive success rate jumped from 44.2% without Watson to 46.11% with him on the field from 2022 to 2025. That type of swing from a single non-quarterback is rare and difficult to replicate.
The Packers are banking on Watson’s availability and impact, and there’s a reasonable argument that his contract represented an overpay to some extent based solely on basic numbers. But the on-field evidence is difficult to ignore, and Green Bay’s offense is materially better when Watson is healthy and playing.
That combination explains why the Packers committed to him financially, and the front office has long understood that Watson’s impact goes beyond his receiving yards.