Christian Watson signs a 4 year 110m extension

[tynimiller]

I'd say more like locked for 2

Watson is due a $13 million roster bonus on the third day of the league-year in 2028. If Watson isn’t playing up to expectations, the Packers can move on at that point.

The per game bonuses definitely give the Packers a bit of margin for injury.

If he stays healthy and even stays stagnant in productivity and efficiency that season and bonus is a no brainer. I wouldn't disagree however with the 2 and an asterick

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

If he stays healthy and even stays stagnant in productivity and efficiency that season and bonus is a no brainer. I wouldn't disagree however with the 2 and an asterick

With the way salaries are flying off the charts, by 2028, this could be a bargain price for Watson, if as you say, he stays healthy. As far as his production goes, I know you implied that his stats should go way up if he actually does stay healthy.

I'm not mad at all with this contract. I still am concerned about keeping Watson healthy, but that goes with just about every NFL player. We will all be holding our collective breaths that Parsons stays healthy when he returns.

It would be interesting to have a conversation with Watson and his agent. Had he not signed a new deal and had a healthy, very productive 2026, these numbers could have been a lot bigger. I guess both he and the Packers were taking his past injuries into consideration, from both sides of things.

 

[tynimiller]

With the way salaries are flying off the charts, by 2028, this could be a bargain price for Watson, if as you say, he stays healthy. As far as his production goes, I know you implied that his stats should go way up if he actually does stay healthy.

I'm not mad at all with this contract. I still am concerned about keeping Watson healthy, but that goes with just about every NFL player. We will all be holding our collective breaths that Parsons stays healthy when he returns.

It would be interesting to have a conversation with Watson and his agent. Had he not signed a new deal and had a healthy, very productive 2026, these numbers could have been a lot bigger. I guess both he and the Packers were taking his past injuries into consideration, from both sides of things.

That is why that $13M roster bonus exists in 2028 as someone pointed out - if health is a serious issue you can part ways and it's an additional $13M saved. Watson and his agent were cognizant and fair, as is GB for sure too...because if Watson is what they believe he is - you could absolutely see him play every single year out of this contract.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

That is why that $13M roster bonus exists in 2028 as someone pointed out

Yup, which is why is could end up being only a 2 year deal.

The contract also includes a total of $10.325 million in per-game roster bonuses – meaning he’ll have to play to get paid, at least some of his contract.

 

[tynimiller]

Yup, which is why is could end up being only a 2 year deal.

The contract also includes a total of $10.325 million in per-game roster bonuses – meaning he’ll have to play to get paid, at least some of his contract.

Yup in many ways Watson's structure is about as close as one could hope to get to the style you have always asked for more to be like.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

Yup in many ways Watson's structure is about as close as one could hope to get to the style you have always asked for more to be like.

This contract is looking better and better from a team standpoint.

CW is a freaky-good talent...If he can just stay healthy. When he's on the field, the other team has a problem to contend with, and that opens things up for Green Bay's other weapons.

 

[mradtke66]

This contract is a steal.

Alec Pierce was seen at the closes comp, which is why many were nervous. Watson is guaranteed less than HALF what he got.

Watson only gets his 31M bonus, everything else is salary and game day active.

Pierce got 26M signing and 2026 salary, 2027 salary guaranteed for a total of 60M. 14m of 2028 salary is guaranteed in 2027 (while not technically 100%, he will all but certainly receive this with a 50M dead cap number if they cut him in 2027) and 10m near the beginning of 2028.

We can talk about protecting the franchise, which his contract does, per my previous comment on this, he WILL be under-paid if he stays healthy. Giving him that 13m roster bonus is almost the consolation prize--too good/healthy to cut, not good/healthy enough to extend.

 

[Firethorn1001]

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/packers-huge-mistake-christian-watson-130900967.html

Uneducated drivel. Someone got paid for this?

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

get to the style you have always asked for more to be like.

They'll never get to fully incentive based contracts, but yeah, this is better than a lot if contracts I've seen.

 

[Magooch]

Yeah, I think that's a super deal for us.

Just a quick look at the charts...
Watson's new contract is 14th in total value, but 20th in yearly average and only 25th in total guarantees. Even right now, that is basically "High-end WR2" type of money and "low-end WR1" at best. Some of them have moved or had pieces moving around them, but in the last year or two we had guys like Tee Higgins, Jaylen Waddle, George Pickens, Jameson Williams, Devonta Smith, etc. all as their team's ostensible "WR2" and making more money than Watson will be going forward.

When you look at some of the guys who are now behind Watson but will be looking at new contracts in the next few years, I mean, it wouldn't even be surprising if by year 3 of this deal that Watson was finding himself outside the top 32 WRs in the league even. Maybe not quite to that extent but at the rate WR contracts are going I would expect so long as he stays healthy he will be seen as criminally underpaid in just a few years