The Green Bay Packers’ offense experienced a sluggish beginning in 2023. Despite a dominant win against the Chicago Bears in Week One, it was evident that they were a young, inexperienced group in need of more time to gel. This challenge was exacerbated by multiple injuries to key players early on, hindering their progress.
Wide receiver Christian Watson was sidelined for the first three games due to a hamstring injury. Additionally, in the opening victory, David Bakhtiari sustained a season-ending knee injury, and running back Aaron Jones strained his hamstring, sidelining him for several weeks.
With Bakhtiari and Jones out, younger replacements like Josh Jacobs and Jordan Morgan stepped in. However, Watson remained a hopeful presence, with the team optimistic that his leg issues had finally been addressed.
Watson’s battle with injuries began shortly after he was drafted by the Packers in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Hoping to prevent hamstring issues, he underwent a knee procedure, causing him to miss a significant portion of the offseason training and affecting his chemistry with quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Despite his efforts, the surgery didn’t solve the problem. Watson suffered a hamstring injury in Week Two of his rookie season, missing the subsequent game, and then aggravated it again in Week Five, resulting in two more missed games. However, he bounced back with a standout performance against the Dallas Cowboys, marking the start of an impressive streak where he became the first rookie wide receiver since Randy Moss to score eight touchdowns in four games.
In his rookie year, Watson finished with 41 receptions for 611 yards and seven touchdown catches, along with two rushing touchdowns.
Unfortunately, Watson’s struggles with hamstring injuries persisted into the 2023 season. He missed the first three games and didn’t showcase his full potential until late in the season. Notably, he had a strong showing against the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving and followed it up with another impressive performance against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, his season was cut short yet again when he reinjured his hamstring against the Chiefs, forcing him to sit out the remainder of the regular season.
After the Packers’ season ended, Watson sought answers, along with cornerback Eric Stokes, visiting a specialist in Madison, Wisconsin, to address the recurring injury issues.
