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Packers Star Extends With Green Bay Despite Recent ACL Surgery

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Green Bay Packers have retained deep-threat Christian Watson on a one-year extension, keeping the two sides tied through the end of the 2026 season. The decision comes as the 26-year-old wide receiver recovers from ACL surgery and remains on the PUP list, which means he will miss at least the first four games.

The move signals a clear direction from Green Bay: be patient with the rehab timeline while preserving speed and vertical juice in the receiver room for Jordan Love. With a 16.9 yards-per-reception average since 2022 (among the league’s best for players with ≥75 catches), Watson is still the field-stretcher who forces defenses deep, opens the middle for TE/slot targets, and creates play-action shot opportunities.

Watson tore his ACL in the final regular-season game last year against the Bears. Although his recovery has been described as “ahead of schedule,” the Packers’ medical and coaching staffs are sticking to a cautious plan: prioritize long-term health, then open the practice window and ramp up his snap count once he’s ready.

Tactically, even a gradual return is expected to restore the vertical threat Green Bay has lacked in his absence. In the early phase, 4–6 targets per game could still swing outcomes through explosive plays (≥20 yards), forcing opponents to keep a safety high and respect the deep ball.

This extension is more than short-term security; it’s a cultural statement. Green Bay continues to bet on speed, discipline, and a proper rehab process. For Watson, the comeback starts in the training room—but the destination is still the far sideline, where go and post routes can change a game in a single stride.

Eagles Head Coach Announces A.J. Brown To Start On The Bench For Standout Rookie After Poor Performance vs. Broncos
  Philadelphia, PA — the Philadelphia Eagles’ head coach confirmed that A.J. Brown will start on the bench in Week 6 against the New York Giants, with the boundary starting spot going to rookie WR Taylor Morin—an undrafted signing out of Wake Forest who flashed through rookie camp and the preseason. The decision follows an underwhelming offensive showing against the Denver Broncos, where several snaps highlighted the unit being out of sync between Brown and Jalen Hurts. On a midfield option route, Hurts read Cover-2 and waited for an inside break into the soft spot, while Brown maintained a vertical stem and widened to the boundary to stretch the corner. The ball fell into empty space and the drive stalled. On a separate red-zone snap, a pre-snap hot-route signal wasn’t locked identically by the pair, resulting in a hurried throw that was broken up. The staff treated it as a reminder about route-depth precision, timing, and pre-snap communication—the micro-details that underpin the Eagles’ offense when January football arrives. Starting Morin is part of a plan to re-establish rhythm: the early script is expected to emphasize horizontal spacing, short choice/option concepts, and over routes off play-action to probe the Giants’ responses. Morin—who has shown strong hands in tight windows and clean timing in the preseason—should give the call sheet a steadier platform, while Brown will be “activated” in high-leverage downs such as 3rd-and-medium, two-minute, and red zone to maximize his body control, early separation, and the coverage gravity that can force New York to roll coverage. Facing the tough call, Brown kept his response brief but competitive:“I can’t accept letting a kid take my spot, but I respect his decision. Let’s see what we’re saying after the game. I’ll practice and wait for my chance. When the ball is in the air, everyone will know who I am.” Operationally, the staff is expected to streamline the call sheet between Hurts and Brown: standardize option-route depths, clearly flag hot signals, and increase game-speed reps in 7-on-7 and team periods so both are “seeing it the same and triggering the same.” Handing the start to Morin also resets the locker-room standard: every role is earned by tape and daily detail—even for a star of Brown’s caliber. If Brown converts the message into cleaner stems and precise landmarks—catching the ball at the spot and on time—the Eagles anticipate early returns: fewer dead drives, better red-zone execution when back-shoulder throws and choice routes are run “in the same language,” and an offense that regains tempo before taking on Big Blue. With Taylor Morin in the opening script, Philadelphia hopes the fresh piece is enough to jump-start the attack from the first series.