Packers Training Camp Injury Report: Family Night

Second-round receiver Christian Watson remains sidelined following knee surgery.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – While Green Bay Packers training camp star Romeo Doubs got his first taste of Lambeau Field during Friday’s Family Night, fellow rookie receiver Christian Watson remained sidelined following knee surgery.

Watson, the team’s second-round pick, has missed all nine practices of training camp. His comeback, at least based on players’ on-the-field rehab workouts, doesn’t appear to be imminent.

“I still feel the same way. At the end of the day, I believe everything happens for a reason and I know my role will be my role and I’ll own it regardless of what that is when I get back,” he said this week. “Obviously, I’m still striving for the same things that I was striving for pre-surgery. I’m just taking it one day at a time. Once I get back, I’ll continue to do the same thing, take it one day at a time and just continue to try to grow and find my footing and find my role.”

Watson came out of the offseason program dealing with a sore right knee. Rather than trying to get him through his rookie season, the team elected to take the short-term setback and have Watson undergo surgery.

If he has a timetable or an inkling on when he might make his training camp debut, he wouldn’t say.

In his absence, Watson has been limited to mental reps and picking the brain of Aaron Rodgers. Doubs, on the other hand, has emerged as a training camp sensation while catching passes from the four-time MVP.

“There’s still a lot of things that I can learn from, even not being out there on the field,” he said. “There’s plenty of resources, between Aaron, between Randall (Cobb), between Allen (Lazard). There’s a lot of guys who have played a lot of football and been really successful to learn from. Whether that’s just the small nuances of the offense or just looking at bigger-picture stuff, even release stuff, just kind of asking what Allen would do in this particular situation. Even though I’m not able to go out there and do it, being able to visualize that stuff and kind of have a plan, what my plan would be if I was in that situation or that specific play, just helps me continue to progress even though I’m not out there.”

At least Watson has impressed Rodgers with his studious approach. That could help Watson make an impact sooner or later whenever he returns.

“He’s a smart kid,” Rodgers said. “It’d be nice if we could get him off the PUP (list) so he could do some of the walk-through stuff, but he’ll be fine. He’s super-athletic, went through the whole offseason program with us. You guys have seen, he’s been in my hip pocket asking questions after period and during individual time, so I’m not worried about him.”

Packers Family Night Injury Report

New Injuries: OLB Randy Ramsey.

Returned to practice: None.

Old injuries: RB Patrick Taylor (groin), C Cole Schneider (ankle), WR Osirus Mitchell (quad), WR Malik Taylor (shoulder).

Non-Football Injury List: CB Keisean Nixon (groin).

Physically unable to perform list: K Mason Crosby (knee), WR Christian Watson (knee), RB Kylin Hill (knee), LT David Bakhtiari (knee), OL Elgton Jenkins (knee), TE Robert Tonyan (knee).