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Packers 1,653-Yard WR Returns to Practice for First Time Since January ACL Tear

The Green Bay Packers are close to getting back a key offensive weapon. Wide receiver Christian Watson practiced on Monday, his first session since tearing his ACL in the 2024 regular-season finale. From now, the Packers have 21 days to activate him from the reserve/physically unable to perform (PUP) list to the 53-man roster.

Watson suffered the injury on January 5 against the Chicago Bears, roughly nine months ago. The fact that he is healthy enough to return to practice is a positive step.

The former No. 34 overall pick (North Dakota State) signed a one-year, $13.25 million deal last month while rehabbing. In 2024, Watson caught 29 passes for 620 yards (a career high) and 2 TDs, averaging 21.4 yards per reception — explosive numbers.

Watson returns to a receivers room currently led by Romeo Doubs, rookie Matthew Golden, and Dontayvion Wicks. Jayden Reed — the Packers’ leading receiver in 2024 — is on injured reserve after fracturing his collarbone in Week 2. Tight end Tucker Kraft is presently Jordan Love’s top target with 16 receptions for 225 yards and 2 TDs through four games.

The Packers just came off their bye week and sit second in the NFC North at 2–1–1. They opened hot with wins over the Lions and Commanders, then let a fourth-quarter lead slip against the Browns in Week 3 and tied the Cowboys in Week 4. The Packers’ passing offense currently ranks 10th in the NFL (232.8 yards per game), and Watson’s return is expected to add even more firepower for the stretch ahead.

Packers Icon Donald Driver Returns as Co-Owner to Lead From the Front
Green Bay, WI – The Green Bay Packers are writing a new chapter in their history books. This week, reports confirmed that franchise legend Donald Driver has officially purchased a stake in the team, returning home as a co-owner. Few players in NFL history have embodied their franchise like Driver. The Packers’ all-time receiving leader with a relentless motor and team-first ethos, he helped keep Green Bay a perennial playoff contender across the 2000s and early 2010s. Driver’s bond with Wisconsin was never just about football. Through the Donald Driver Foundation, he has championed education, housing, and wellness initiatives for under-served families across the state — a symbol of his “lead from the front” mentality that fans still cherish. The Hall of Fame–bound wideout (Packers Hall of Fame inductee) long ago sealed his place as one of the franchise’s most beloved figures. Now, he returns not only as a hero of the past, but as an architect of the future. Driver isn’t new to leadership off the field. In recent years he has taken visible roles in business and community ventures, contributing in marketing, strategy, and engagement across Wisconsin. Those experiences now come back to Green Bay, where he will work alongside President/CEO Ed Policy to help reshape the Packers’ identity. With the team sitting at 1–3 in the 2025 season, his arrival signals a cultural reset as much as a business move. Fans on X and Facebook exploded with excitement, calling it a “new chapter in history” and a chance for Driver to lead the Packers once again — this time from the boardroom instead of the huddle. For Driver, the message is clear: whether in pads or in a suit, he’s still committed to Green Bay. And for Packers fans, the thought of their greatest icon leading from the front again feels like destiny fulfilled.