Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson is out on Sunday when the team faces the Chicago Bears, Packers Head Coach Matt LaFleur said.
The injury report also reflects Watson being out:
The Athletic beat writer Matt Schneidman first broke the news.
As the Associated Press reported on Thursday, Sept. 7, Watson and Romeo Doubs, Green Bay's top two returning wideouts, both are dealing with hamstring injuries as quarterback Jordan Love prepares to begin his first season as the Packers' starting quarterback.
“He took a couple of reps within each team period and the routes on air,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said about Doubs. “And he looked good.”
Doubs wasn’t making any guarantees about whether he’d be available for Sunday’s season opener at Chicago, which will mark Love’s second career start.
“Everything is progressing the way I’m supposed to do and everything that I’m supposed to do, I’m executing it the right way,” Doubs said. “However, this is a day-to-day thing. As far as my health, I will leave that up to Coach LaFleur. I thought today was pretty good.”
Watson had 41 catches for 611 yards and seven touchdowns while also rushing for two more scores as a rookie last season despite missing three games with a hamstring injury. Doubs, another second-year pro, caught 42 passes for 425 yards and three touchdowns during his rookie season but missed four games with an ankle injury.
The other receivers on Green Bay’s roster are 2022 seventh-round pick Samori Toure and rookies Jayden Reed, Dontayvion Wicks and Malik Heath. Wicks also has been dealing with a hamstring issue, but he was a full practice participant Thursday.
Also, left tackle David Bakhtiari hasn’t practiced yet this week as the Packers continue to monitor his workload. The 31-year-old Bakhtiari played 11 games last season after a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee caused him to appear in just one game in the 2021 season.
Bakhtiari said he expects to play Sunday.
“I’ll be real,” Bakhtiari said. “Every year I play, it takes less and less practice to knock the rust off and then be like, ‘All right.’"
Outside linebacker Rashan Gary practiced on a limited basis for a second straight day as he recovers from a torn ACL that ended his 2022 season early. Gary injured his right knee on Nov. 6.
“Just with what I put myself through in terms of my rehab and how I’ve recovered from this whole thing, I’m for sure ready,” Gary said.
LaFleur and defensive coordinator Joe Barry have said the Packers would put Gary “on a pitch count” early on as they try to find a solution to make sure he stays healthy.
“What that pitch count exactly is? Tune in Sunday," Barry said.
Gary said he’s fine with that possibility.
“From where I started, being able to even be put in a situation like that, I’m nothing but thankful and blessed,” Gary said. “I’m absolutely excited for a pitch count. I don’t care for how many plays they want me on the field, they’re going to get five-two (his jersey number), 110%, for as many snaps as I can get.”
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