Packers WR Christian Watson hoping to put hamstring injuries behind him with work on leg strength 'symmetry'

After missing almost half of the 2023 season due to a lingering hamstring injury, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson was looking for answers.

It appears that he has found them.

The 25-year-old wideout visited the University of Wisconsin, Madison this offseason to work with researchers who study hamstring injuries in elite football players, hoping to determine the underlying cause of his recurrent injury issues.

During OTAs this week, Watson stated that he discovered that the imbalance in the strength of his legs could be a major factor to his problem.

Watson stated that his right leg, which had suffered long-term injuries, exhibited a 20 percent reduction in strength. He explained that this could lead to numerous complications, particularly if a player fails to regain full strength following an initial injury.

“For me, it really was the asymmetry between the legs,” Watson said, via ESPN. “It comes from a lot of things. Obviously, the issues I’ve had in the past with hamstrings, not fully recovering from those strength-wise. So I’ve just been attacking the strength side of it, trying to get that symmetry back and it’s been huge for me. I’ve been feel really, really good, just gotta continue grinding at it.”

Watson, a second-round pick of the Packers in 2022, was sidelined for three games in his rookie year due to a hamstring injury. Despite this setback, he managed to finish the season with 41 receptions for 611 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 14.9 yards per catch.

During his sophomore season, he began to miss extended periods due to persistent injuries.

Watson didn’t participate in the first three games of 2023, but managed to play in the subsequent nine matches, where he made 28 catches for 422 yards and five TDs. However, his hamstring injury recurred, resulting in him missing the last five games of the regular season.

Though available for the Packers’ postseason run, his contributions were limited, recording only one catch in each of Green Bay’s two playoff games.

Watson explained, “My right leg was clearly weaker than my left, which caused two main issues. Firstly, it added pressure to the left side, which was already under a lot of strain. Secondly, trying to balance the power between both legs resulted in added stress on the weaker one. This has been my primary issue because it also leads to fatigue. It’s an unfavorable situation and my top priority has been to rectify this imbalance.”

Watson revealed that his leg discrepancy is now approximately 10 percent, and he aims to reduce it even further through continued effort. Maintaining such health throughout the offseason and into the fall would undoubtedly be good news for those eager to see the young receiver’s full potential in his season as the WR1.

Watson expressed, “I genuinely feel I’m operating at my full capacity, especially concerning what I can achieve on the football field at the moment. Nevertheless, there’s a slight imbalance that I’m working on with the training staff in the gym. Although it’s not significant enough to restrict me from any activities, it’s important that I continue to rectify this to prevent any future risks.”