Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson signs autographs before a game against the Browns on Sept. 21 in Cleveland. (AP file photo)

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson has returned to practice as he moves a step closer to playing again after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament nine months ago.

“I’ve got to knock a little bit of rust off, obviously,” Watson said after Monday’s practice. “Been a while since I was able to go out there and play football.”

Watson tore his right ACL on Jan. 5 during the Packers’ 24-22 loss to Chicago that closed their 2024 regular season. The Packers placed him on the physically unable to perform list before this season.

His return to practice starts a 21-day window before the Packers must activate him in order for him to play this year.

“I haven’t really taken a day off since my surgery,” Watson said. “I mean, it’s just been a long road. I’ve just trusted in my doctors and my team back home and trusting in the training room as well and just getting after it.”

Watson, a 2022 second-round pick from North Dakota State, has 98 career catches for 1,653 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also has two career touchdown runs.

He had 29 receptions for 620 yards and two touchdowns last season.

The 26-year-old Watson expressed confidence Monday about the condition of his knee.

“My trust and confidence in the knee is honestly 100%,” he said. “I’ve tried to remove any doubt or negative thoughts about it, just trusting the work that I put in and understand the things that I did today, I’ve done them thousands of times at this point.”

The Packers (2-1-1) return from a bye week to host the Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) on Sunday.

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