The initial Christian Watson contract looked a bit higher than most were expecting. However, now that all of the numbers have come out behind the deal, the Green Bay Packers are looking a bit better for extending their fifth-year wide receiver.
What was initially reported as a four-year, $110 million deal ended up being a four-year $92.5 million extension with escalators to get Watson to that $110 total. So, if Watson does get the values that were considered an overpay, he will have earned it, and it will not look like an overpay.
The team also only handed Watson $31M in guaranteed salary. So, the deal will not be hard to get out of in a couple of seasons.
The Green Bay Packers Protected Themselves With Christian Watson Extension
GettyChristian Watson #9 of the Green Bay Packers
If Watson does not stay healthy and ends up being a dud for the next two years, the Packers can get out of the deal without much harm. In 2028, Watson has a $13M roster bonus. If they do not exercise that, the deal could essentially look like a two-year, $36M extension. That is not a bad price to pay.
If he is able to make it through the 2028 season, the team will be able to maneuver cap hits much more easily in 2029 because of the lack of guarantees. They would only have $13.6M in dead cap, and they would save over $16M in space if they let him go after 2028. This would essentially be three years and $49.7M in cap space from the Packers’ perspective on the deal.
The same can be said for 2030, but it is even easier to move on. The Packers would save $20M in cap space if they let him go after the 2029 season, and they would only eat $6M.
As things stand, his cap hit in 2027 is $11.5M. In 2028, it jumps to $24.5M, and in 2029, it goes up to $29.1M. That is when the real decision about keeping him will be made. If they do, he will have a $26M cap hit in 2030. So, the Packers have the next two years to see how much they really like Watson, and then they can decide if they will keep him long enough to see the last two years.
The incentives have not been fully disclosed, but basing them on playing time and production will ensure that the Packers do not see the losing side of his injury history.
Christian Watson Has Flashed Potential for the Packers
Injuries have been the story of Watson’s career so far. He missed three games as a rookie and eight games in his second year. Watson missed two games in year three and then seven games in 2025. It has not been significant enough to give up on him, but they continue to show up and hinder how productive he could have been.
So far, Watson’s career-high in yards is just 620, which came in 2024. He has hit 611 yards twice and 422 yards in the year when he was injured the most. At 47 yards per game and 10 yards per target, he is impactful, but it has not come together consistently enough, which is why Green Bay built in the incentives.
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