With a second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected wide receiver Christian Watson. A dynamic athlete out of North Dakota State, he was a high-upside pick many analysts like. Some draft evaluators believed he could have snuck into the first round, providing Green Bay with value by snagging him at No. 34.
Christian Watson possesses an incredible combination of size and athleticism that few players in the NFL can rival. There have been stretches in his career that he looks like the No. 1 wide receiver he is capable of being.
However, there has been one thing holding him back; hamstring injuries. He has dealt with several during the first two seasons of his career with the Green Bay Packers. That has led to him playing in 14 games as a rookie and only nine during his sophomore campaign.
Alas, the root of the issue could have been found this offseason. He came to find that his strength was asymmetrical. His left leg was 20 percent stronger than his right, putting immense pressure on his lower body.
This offseason, getting his lower body strength more symmetrical has been a goal of his. Christian Watson has worked tirelessly, getting the strength numbers closer together. It is something he and the team hope can lead to better health.
Along with the strength numbers, there is hope all of the testing has provided him ways to better recuperate and heal his body. He recently spoke about how his hamstring rehab has gone and what is changing.
“I think just being conscious about it,” Watson said. “My ability to kind of know when maybe I’m feeling a little fatigued, maybe I need to tone it down a little bit today. I just need to be a little more conscious of my body and knowing where I’m at. I think I can get a handle of where I’m at, if it’s just fatigue or I need to tone it down a little bit, but obviously once you get the injury you’re right back to square one.
“So I think just being a little bit more conscious of it has been huge for me to know where I’m at and how I’m feeling.”
Given the struggles Christian Watson had staying on the field his first two seasons, it made sense to try something new. Hopefully, all of this work pays off, as the Green Bay Packers are a more explosive team when the talented Watson is on the field.
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