The Green Bay Packers gave Christian Watson (9) a contract extension Tuesday, which means Romeo Doubs (87) is unlikely to be resigned.
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Christian Watson is staying.
And it certainly appears Romeo Doubs will be leaving.
The Green Bay Packers signed Watson, a fourth-year wide receiver, to a one-year, $13.25 million contract extension on Tuesday.
Watson and Doubs — who came into the NFL together in 2022 — would both have been free agents after the 2025 season. By signing Watson through the 2026 campaign, though, Green Bay will most likely be waving goodbye to Doubs.
The Packers are deep at wide receiver, and will need to make tough choices in the upcoming seasons.
Watson and Doubs were both drafted in 2022. Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks arrived together in 2023.
Matthew Golden and Savion Williams were drafted in April.
The first tough decision was Watson or Doubs — and Green Bay went with Watson, who is expected to return later this season after tearing an ACL in Week 18, 2024.
“He’s got an element in terms of his size and speed that’s tough replicate,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said of Watson. “There’s not many built like him around the league.”
That’s certainly true. But Watson has struggled with injuries throughout his career, and has yet to have the breakout season many anticipated.
Watson, a second round draft pick from North Dakota State, enjoyed his best season as a rookie when he caught 41 passes for 611 yards and finished the year with a team-high seven receiving touchdowns. Watson missed three games that season due to injury, but still tied for No. 1 in the NFL among rookies in TD catches in 2022, and ranked No. 5 among rookies in receiving yards.
Watson had a remarkably frustrating 2023 campaign, playing in only nine games and taking the field for just 40.7% of the snaps due to a pair of hamstring injuries. Watson had 28 receptions and five touchdowns in 2023, but it marked the second straight year injuries sidetracked his season.
“Everyone says your availability is your best ability, so I’ve got to find a way to stay out there,” Watson said at the end of the 2023 campaign.
For the most part, Watson got over the injury bug in 2024, playing in 15 of 17 games. His numbers (29 receptions, 620 yards, two TDs) were mediocre, though, then he tore his ACL in the final regular season game of the year.
The Packers are now betting on potential more than production.
The 6-foot-4, 208-pound Watson ran a blazing 4.32-second 40-yard dash at the 2022 NFL Combine. He also posted a terrific score of 38 on the 50-question Wonderlic test.
Both of those numbers ranked at or near the top of the wide receiver group.
Watson had terrific numbers in the vertical jump (38-1/2”), the broad jump (11-4) and has big hands (10 1/8”). And the Packers believe those rare physical gifts and Watson’s impressive work ethic will eventually lead to a breakout season.
“There’s not many guys that can really run like him,” Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said of Watson. “He’s pretty special at that.”
While the Packers still have six months to officially make a decision on Doubs, they can’t pay everybody. And it seems like a virtual certainty Doubs will be in a different uniform in 2026.
Doubs had his best year in 2023, when he finished second on the team in catches (59) and yards (674) during the regular season, and tied for the team lead with eight receiving touchdowns. Doubs also ranked No. 4 in the NFL with seven receiving TDs in the red zone.
Doubs then had a sensational postseason with 10 receptions, 234 yards and two TDs in two games. His 234 receiving yards were the seventh most in franchise history in a single postseason.
Many expected Doubs to have a breakout 2024 campaign after his terrific finish to the 2023 campaign. That didn’t happen, though.
Doubs played in 13 games last year and finished third on the Packers in both catches (46) and receiving yards (601). His touchdown receptions also slipped from eight to four.
In addition, Doubs was also placed on the reserve/suspended list and missed Green Bay’s Week 5 game against the Los Angeles Rams after going AWOL earlier that week.
Doubs was also inactive in Weeks 13-14 due to a concussion. He then suffered another concussion and left the Packers’ Wild Card playoff loss to Philadelphia — despite wearing a guardian cap.
If Doubs has a big 2025 campaign, he’ll earn a hefty payday somewhere else. If his numbers are pedestrian, the Packers would have little interest in bringing him back.
Either way, his time in Green Bay seems to be winding down.
Instead, the Packers committed to Watson — the more explosive player on the field, and the more grounded one off the field.
It’s the first of several tricky decisions that Gutekunst faces with his wide receiver group.
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