GREEN BAY – Packers receiver Christian Watson wasn't making any promises as to when he'll be playing his first game of the 2025 season.
But the fourth-year pro took a major step toward getting there Monday when he returned to the practice field for the first time following reconstructive knee surgery last January.
"I mean, it felt great," Watson said after practice. "Obviously I was super anxious to just be able to get back to some football. It meant a lot to me to be able to get back out there, for sure."
Watson officially came off the physically unable to perform list, opening a 21-day window during which he can practice without counting on the Packers' 53-man roster. He can be activated to the 53 at any time now.
After Monday's workout, during which he did only individual drills and did not take any 11-on-11 snaps, Watson didn't sound like he would need the three full weeks to be game-ready.
"I just want to stack days," he said. "As long as I continue to feel good, obviously my goal is to play as soon as possible.
"I'd say the only hurdle really is just getting live reps and getting back into everything … just knocking the rust off, getting back into full football mode, live bullets."
He mentioned he's been cutting and running routes for nearly two months now, ramping up the intensity and pushing his rehab as much as he could while knowing the medical staff had a timeline in mind.
He'd been expecting for a while that Monday would be his first practice, which came nine months and one day since the ACL injury occurred in the regular-season finale vs. Chicago on Jan. 5.
"I haven't really taken a day off since my surgery," he said. "I mean, it's just been a long road. I've just trusted in my doctors and my team back home, and trusting in the training room as well and just getting after it."
His teammates were certainly happy to see him check off another milestone on the road to recovery. Defensive lineman Rashan Gary, who returned from his own Nov. 2022 ACL injury at the start of the 2023 season, said his primary advice to Watson was to remain steady and consistent throughout the process.
"Everybody's going to have their ups, their downs, but just stay in the middle," Gary said. "To go through things like that, you have to have faith and a strong family group, and a strong work ethic, and that's what he's got."
Seeing him rewarded Monday?
"Man, it was great," Gary said. "I was telling him, don't hide back the smiles too much. It was great seeing him back out there because he worked his butt off to get there."
Watson's pending return wasn't the only good news Monday on the health front for the Packers. Offensive linemen Zach Tom (oblique) and Aaron Banks (groin), who have both missed most of the last three games, were back on the practice field too, as was cornerback Nate Hobbs, who left the Dallas game in Week 4 to be evaluated for a concussion.
Defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt (knee) and rookie offensive lineman Anthony Belton (ankle) were not back at practice yet. The first official injury report of the week will be released after Wednesday's practice.
