Christian Watson injury update | Packers receiver’s status for Bears game

GREEN BAY – Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson will be on the injury report this week with a chest and possibly shoulder injury, leaving his status for the Chicago Bears game at Soldier Field in question.

Watson returned home with the team after tests on his upper body taken at a Denver hospital showed it was safe for him to travel following the Packers’ 34-26 loss to the Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High on Dec. 14.

The Packers were still evaluating his injuries and it’s unclear if they have a timeline for his return, but he shouldn’t have to go on injured reserve, a source said. What that means for the Packers’ faceoff with the Bears for the lead in the NFC North likely won’t be known until later in the week.

Watson was injured with just under 13 minutes left in the third quarter after he got tangled with Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II on a deep throw from quarterback Jordan Love. Surtain undercut the route and intercepted the pass, locking Watson’s right arm to his side in the process and appearing to land on his elbow as both hit the ground.

Watson was able to walk to the sideline and then to the locker room unaided, but he was gripping the inside of his shoulder pads with his right hand. Coach Matt LaFleur said he was taken to the hospital to have a CT scan but didn’t offer any other detail on the injury.

A week prior, Watson caught two touchdown passes in the Packers’ victory over the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field, giving him five touchdowns in a four-game span. He caught three passes for 29 yards before suffering the injury Dec. 14.

In his eight games since being activated from the physically-unable-to-perform list, Watson has caught 28 passes for 481 yards (17.2 average) and five touchdowns. In his previous games, he had played 281 snaps, second among receivers behind Romeo Doubs’ 288.

Against the Broncos, Watson played 27 snaps. Rookie Matthew Golden was the biggest recipient of additional playing time, logging 23 snaps and catching three passes for 55 yards. He also drew a 25-yard pass-interference penalty.

It was the most snaps Golden has played since Week 8 against Carolina. He missed three games with shoulder and wrist injuries and played just five snaps against Chicago in his first game back.

If Watson can’t play, it’s likely Doubs and Jayden Reed would be the starters with Golden and Dontayvion Wicks sharing the No. 3 spot.

The Packers are expected to have a full injury report heading into the Bears game.

Among the players who suffered injuries during the Broncos game were defensive end Micah Parsons, safety Evan Williams, tackle Zach Tom, tight end Josh Whyle, linebacker Quay Walker and cornerback Nate Hobbs.

Walker returned and played all but four defensive snaps. Hobbs played 10 snaps.

This article originally appeared on Packers News: Christian Watson injury update: Packers receiver’s status for Bears game