Packers add veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins to active/non-football injury list

The Green Bay Packers added a few names to their physically unable to perform (PUP) list ahead of training camp. And according to NFL networks Tom Pelissero, the Packers added veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins to their active/non-football injury list on Tuesday.

Watkins, a former first-round pick of the Buffalo Bills in the 2014 NFL Draft, signed a one-year deal worth $4 million with Green Bay back in April, just before the draft. The former Clemson Tigers star was brought in to provide a veteran presence and help replace some of the productivity that left the team when the Packers traded All-Pro wide receiver Davante Adams, to the Las Vegas Raiders.

With Watkins out to start training camp, it is understandable that Green Bay fans are a bit weary right now. Coupled with the inexperience that the Packers have at wideout, and newly signed veteran Watkins unavailable, their top offensive draft pick from this year’s draft, wide receiver Christian Watkins, is currently on their PUP list.

No information about why the former first-round pick is on the Packers’ active/non-football injury list has been revealed. As of now, Green Bay and their fans will have to patiently wait until he recovers to see how well he fits into the offense and his level of chemistry with MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

Packers put nine players on PUP list heading into training camp

Fall camp is only a few days away and NFL teams across the league are letting everyone know the players they’ve decided to put on the physically unable to perform list or PUP list, heading into the start of the upcoming season. On Friday, the Green Bay Packers placed nine players on their physically unable to perform list: Christian Watson, Robert Tonyan, Elgton Jenkins, Mason Crosby, Dean Lowry, Kylin Hill, Hauati Pututau, Randy Ramsey, and Patrick Taylor.

One thing to note about the PUP list is that all the players on it can be activated at any time. There is no time limit on how long the player must be on the list in the preseason.

The more concerning names to see on this list for Packers fans have to be wide receiver Christian Watson and tight end Robert Tonyan. The franchise drafted Watson out of North Dakota State with the No. 34 overall selection in the second round of the 2022 NFL Draft. He’s expected to compete for playing time in his rookie season and landing on the PUP list certainly doesn’t help things. Pro Football Talk’s Josh Alper reported on Friday evening that it’s not clear what injury is preventing Watson from being cleared to take part in practice.