Official Offseason Workout/OTA's/Minicamp Thread

[bobblehead]

Run, I'm not all disagree with you here. I like watson and have liked him all along. I wanted Pickens, but i digress. Here is the real catch for me. If Watson suddenly really breaks out with elite numbers will he play out the deal? My guess is that the second the guaranteed money is gone he wants to redo it. I'd rather make him play this year, if he breaks out you franchise him and work out the long term deal. I don't mind paying him even more if he is healthy and bangs out 90 for 1300 and 12TDs. But if he plays 9 games and gets 600 yards I won't be very happy with what we are paying him. edit: especially if he misses the playoffs and will be out part of next year. Given his history this is a very real possibility. He is slight of build for the NFL and we see how that worked out with Jaire....his attitude is much better than Jaire though.

[run pMc]

I'd have to see how the contract breaks down, but all the 'experts' believe there will be strong playing time incentives in the contract. GB likes to do 4 year deals, and usually they end up really being (from a cap perspective) a 2 year deal with guarantees, plus another 2 years of no guaranteed money (effectively, team options) attached. Watson wouldn't really have much leverage to hold out or hold in until the end of Year 3 on the contract, and everything we know about him so far is that he's a high character guy who isn't afraid to do dirty work like blocking, and isn't likely to go AWOL like Doubs did. His injury history likely kept his guarantees so low.

I completely agree it's a gamble, and if he continues to get hurt it's a bad deal. I think they are betting based on his last two seasons and especially his last 10 games (which were consecutive) that his health is going to be more consistent and he'll stay on the field. If he does that he is definitely worth the contract (compared to other WR1s). Moreover, if the extension is on top of the one he signed last year (i.e., signed for the next 5 years) the average money goes down and this looks even better. If healthy, he's a top 10ish WR per snap; staying healthy is the tricky part.

I liked Pickens coming out too, but he was a character-flag guy and I suspect he turned off GB. You have to be a problem to turn off Mike Tomlin. To his credit, Pickens has been on good behavior in DAL, that probably continues as long as he's on a short-term deal.

[Joemailman]

Mandatory minicamp Tuesday-Thursday. All practices will be open to the press.

[SudsMcBucky]

I'd have to see how the contract breaks down, but all the 'experts' believe there will be strong playing time incentives in the contract. GB likes to do 4 year deals, and usually they end up really being (from a cap perspective) a 2 year deal with guarantees, plus another 2 years of no guaranteed money (effectively, team options) attached. Watson wouldn't really have much leverage to hold out or hold in until the end of Year 3 on the contract, and everything we know about him so far is that he's a high character guy who isn't afraid to do dirty work like blocking, and isn't likely to go AWOL like Doubs did. His injury history likely kept his guarantees so low.

I completely agree it's a gamble, and if he continues to get hurt it's a bad deal. I think they are betting based on his last two seasons and especially his last 10 games (which were consecutive) that his health is going to be more consistent and he'll stay on the field. If he does that he is definitely worth the contract (compared to other WR1s). Moreover, if the extension is on top of the one he signed last year (i.e., signed for the next 5 years) the average money goes down and this looks even better. If healthy, he's a top 10ish WR per snap; staying healthy is the tricky part.

I liked Pickens coming out too, but he was a character-flag guy and I suspect he turned off GB. You have to be a problem to turn off Mike Tomlin. To his credit, Pickens has been on good behavior in DAL, that probably continues as long as he's on a short-term deal.

image.png

Edit: Welp, that came out VERY fuzzy. LOL. Try the link.

https://atozsports.com/nfl/green-bay-packers-news/christian-watson-contract-extension-details/

[pbmax]

Ari Meirov @MySportsUpdate
The #Packers’ extension with WR Christian Watson has been filed, and here are the details:

• 4 years
• $92M
• $31M fully guaranteed

The deal has over $18M in available incentives.

[pbmax]

watsonDeal.jpg Let's try this one.

[run pMc]

So two years for sure, with a decision before the 2028 season, plus room to restructure. You're getting an explosive when healthy player at about $20M per.
I like this.

[bobblehead]

So they tore up the previous 2026 deal. So much for the value of signing him to it last year. However the deal looks better knowing the incentive angle is pretty large.

[pbmax]

So they tore up the previous 2026 deal. So much for the value of signing him to it last year. However the deal looks better knowing the incentive angle is pretty large.

Ken - Packers Cap @KenIngalls
Assuming the reported $31m signing bonus, The absolute minimum Christian Watson's cap hit could be in 2026 is $8.63 - a $2.31m cap increase to his current contract.

Let's see how the structure lands and if any additional cash gets pulled into this first year.

~ According to Ingalls, the cap number went up 4.3 mil. I'm not sure a lot of extra money was pushed into year 1 but I can't find the details from the 2 year deal.

Mostly the extension gave them a year to see if Watson was healthy and cost them a modest signing bonus and salary increase.

[pbmax]

The one year extension from last year. Thanks to a post from Joe.

Tom Silverstein
@TomSilverstein

#Packers WR Christian Watson’s 1-year extension includes 3 effective voidable years ending in ‘29, upping his cap number slightly this year. He gets $6.07M SB and $1.1M base this year. Next year’s base: $3.425M plus $1.825M per-game roster, plus w/o and $2.25M incentives.

Ken - Packers Cap
@KenIngalls

The void years are not needed for cap - it's minimal savings. The void years allow for another extension next season (to circumvent the 12-month renegotiation waiting period).

This now allows Watson's contract to be extremely tradable if he wants a raise & Packers say no thanks.

[Joemailman]

Andy Herman
@AndyHermanNFL

Starters in team Love Jacobs Whyle (FB) Swinson Williams - Golden Morgan - Burton - Rhyan - Belton - Kinnard Brooks - Stackhouse - McCllelan Sorrell - Coop - Zaire - LVN Nixon - Valentine Williams - X

Andy Herman
@AndyHermanNFL

Wow play early in practice. Love rolls all the way left throws all the way across his body to the right on an absolute dime deep down the field to Jayden Reed who outraced Edgerrin Cooper for a 70ish yard TD. Big time throw from Jordan.

Ryan Wood
@ByRyanWood

Jordan Love tries to fit a tight window throw to right sideline for Christian Watson. Javon Bullard undercuts it for a pick. Good ball skills from Bullard there to finish the rep.

Andy Herman
@AndyHermanNFL

DDS w/ a pressure on Tyrod. Jonathan Ford jumped offsides Ty’Ron Hopper all over a nice cut by MarShawn Lloyd Edgerrin Cooper knifed into the backfield for a “tfl” on Jacobs DDS w/ another pressure around Brant Banks Defense all over a read option keeper by Taylor.

Andy Herman
@AndyHermanNFL

Play that developed right in front of us. Brandon Cisse 1x1 in man vs Watson. Cisse looked awesome in coverage but Watson ran a perfect route and Love put it where only Watson could get it on a comeback for a completion. Cisse couldn’t beleive it.

Andy Herman
@AndyHermanNFL

Jordan Love gets dds to jump offsides - free play - tries to hit Whyle up the seam but just missed a bit high off his fingertips. False start for Dillon Wade Nice sliding catch over the middle from Taylor to Neyor. Savion Williams showing some burst on a WR screen.

Andy Herman
@AndyHermanNFL

Coop with a nice Pbu on Swinson in 7x7. CV had great coverage on Watson on the play.

Bill Huber
@BillHuberNFL

Kyron Drones just ripped three consecutive completions, capped by a double-move to J. Michael Sturdivant.

Andy Herman
@AndyHermanNFL

Kick coverage unit has been well ahead of the KR unit for whatever that’s worth. Bullard, Mosby, and Niemann all with immediate stops and were flying down the field.

Andy Herman
@AndyHermanNFL

Struggled for the number 2 OL. A VERY high snap from John Williams killed a play followed by a false start from Dillon Wade. Taylor comes back and hits a really nice throw over the middle to Will Sheppard. Brandon Cisse has looked good in coverage today Oladapo pbu on Rice

Andy Herman
@AndyHermanNFL

Jaden Nixon has shown a nice burst a couple times today. Once on a KR and now on an inside run. Nyjalik Kelly just beat Dalton Cooper easy for a would be sack. Taylor throws anyway on a deep shot for a big play to Neyor. Looked like Cisse was in coverage.

Andy Herman
@AndyHermanNFL

DDS is fired up. Just beat John Williams inside for a pressure. Playing with a lot of intensity. Williams is currently in with the 1’s at LG for Burton.

weston hodkiewicz
@WesHod

Lucas Haverisk goes 8 for 8 on indoor field goals, with makes from 58, 53, 48, 46, 43, 40, 38 and 33