Heading into the 2023 season, there is a lot of optimism that Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson is going to break out. After a tough start to his rookie season where he battled drops and injuries, Christian Watson exploded in the second half of the season.
In Year 2 of his career, the Packers are hoping that their 2022 second-round pick can continue developing and rounding out his skill set. He has the size and athleticism to get the job done, but his game does need some refinement; he won’t be able to just run past people.
One of the areas that the team is hoping Christian Watson can continue developing is in the red zone. Working in a tighter space, his athleticism isn’t able to be relied upon as much from the 20-yard line and in. In the early going, the impact has been noticeable.
With training camp kicking off, Christian Watson is already showing a better handle on how to win in the red zone. According to Paul Bretl of Packers Wire, the North Dakota State scored touchdowns on back-to-back possessions.
“On the first touchdown, Watson found space moving right to left across the field and caught an accurate pass from Jordan Love. Then, on the second touchdown, Watson ran a quick five-yard out route and made a contested catch with corner Rasul Douglas closing in a fraction of a second too late.”
Standing 6’5”, Christian Watson has the frame to dominate in the red zone as cornerbacks aren’t going to be able to compete with his size and strength. His speed is already being used successfully and translating to his route running in the congested red zone.
Building a rapport with Jordan Love will be key to Christian Watson and the passing offense improving in the red zone. He spoke about how the timing worked on his touchdown, which comes from how much practice time has been put in.
“It was kind of like bang-bang. If it would have been an eighth of a second earlier or an eighth of a second later, it probably would have been different. It was a perfect ball, perfect placement by J Love, and the timing was just perfect.”
Love-to-Watson is a connection that the Packers and their fans are hoping they hear a lot not only in 2023 but for years to come. All of the tools are there for Christian Watson to develop into one of the better wide receivers in the NFL; they just have to translate more consistently to the field.
