Christian Watson Camp Update — August 23: A Fifteen-Yard Slant on the First Drive

Christian Watson played football this week, and the first attributable catch of his preseason was a 15-yard slant from Jordan Love on second down of the opening drive in Denver, per Wes Hodkiewicz and Mike Spofford in the team's in-game file — a drive that ended in MarShawn Lloyd's touchdown in the 33 to 13 Packers win. After a window in which Watson's name had gone completely quiet, that is the delta: he was on the field with the starters and in the quarterback's first-drive reads.

The practice week was the rougher half of the file. On Tuesday, the starters' two-minute drill died when a Love pass intended for Watson was deflected and intercepted by Zaire Franklin, per Bill Huber at Packers On SI — Huber's account does not say whose hands the deflection came off, so neither will we. On Wednesday, Huber charted a Watson drop in the third-down period against the starting defense, the one blemish in a period Love otherwise won with a touchdown to Tucker Kraft and a catch-and-run to Jayden Reed. One catch, one drop, one contested moment: a normal week for a receiver rebuilding rhythm, reported at normal size.

Since our June preview, the open question on Watson — a big-play receiver whose production has always been score-dependent — has been target volume, and this week supplied participation rather than volume: one game target, two practice targets. Watch next whether Watson plays in the preseason finale and how often Love looks his way with Reed and Matthew Golden both active — and whether the receiver room survives cutdown to 53 on Sunday, August 30 in its current shape. We'll check after cut day.

_Data via nflverse._