Packers Claim Speedy LSU Receiver Chris Hilton Jr. Off Waivers From Commanders

The Green Bay Packers are restocking their wide receiver room again, this time by claiming Chris Hilton Jr. off waivers from the Washington Commanders on Sunday. The move gives Matt LaFleur another burst of speed at a position that just got thinner.

Washington waived Hilton on Saturday. According to Sports Illustrated’s Bill Huber, the Commanders released him to make room for their addition of receiver Stefon Diggs. Green Bay claimed him the next day. NFL reporter Aaron Wilson posted on X: “Packers claimed WR Chris Hilton Jr. off waivers from Commanders.” —

#Packers awarded Chris Hilton off waivers from #Commnders

— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 9, 2026

The timing lines up with a rough couple of days at receiver. Starters Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden are both banged up — Reed with an ankle issue, Golden with a toe injury — leaving Christian Watson as the last healthy member of Green Bay’s top trio. The Packers also signed receiver Kisean Johnson on Sunday morning after a workout, per Sports Illustrated, :antCitation[]{citations=”3972ac0d-27b4-4590-aaad-0b6a03b9f1de” injected=”space”} meaning Green Bay added two receivers in a single day. To make roster room, the team waived cornerback Marlon Jones and safety Johnathan Baldwin with injury designations.

What Hilton Brings to Green Bay

Hilton ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, a number that explains why teams keep taking chances on him despite modest college production. He measured in at just under 6-foot at the combine and posted a 38.5-inch vertical at his pro day, according to SI.com. That kind of vertical explosiveness is what got him into four separate pre-draft all-star games — the Hula Bowl, American Bowl, East-West Shrine Bowl and Senior Bowl.

His numbers at LSU don’t jump off the page: 41 catches for 780 yards and six touchdowns across five injury-interrupted seasons. But his per-catch average tells a different story. He averaged just under 20 yards per target for his career, a mark that speaks to how LSU used him — as a field-stretcher, not a possession receiver.

He saved his best for the biggest stages. In LSU’s 2024 regular-season finale against Oklahoma, Hilton caught two passes for 85 yards, both touchdowns, on plays of 40 and 45 yards. He followed that with four catches for 113 yards and a 41-yard score in the Texas Bowl against Baylor. LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier later credited Hilton’s toughness through a knee injury that limited him. “We knew he was going through something, and we stood by him,” Nussmeier said, according to Yahoo Sports.

Chris Hilton Jr. Combine and College Stats

A Crowded Room, but an Opportunity

Hilton went undrafted in the 2026 class despite the all-star circuit run and the combine invite, a projection NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein flagged as concerning given his production, per NFL.com. Zierlein wrote that Hilton’s route-running needs work and that he struggles when contested downfield, though the speed alone keeps him in the conversation.

That’s the bet Green Bay is making now. The Packers already have speed at the top of their depth chart with Watson, Reed and Golden, plus 2025 third-round pick Savion Williams pushing for a bigger role. Hilton is not walking into a starting job. He’s walking into a numbers game, fighting for practice reps and a shot at sticking through final roster cuts. With Reed and Golden sidelined, he’ll get an immediate look at extra snaps — exactly the kind of window an undrafted rookie needs to make a first impression.

Hilton will officially join the Packers once he clears a physical, and he’s expected to be on the practice field for Monday’s session, which is open to the public. Green Bay opens its preseason Thursday at the Pittsburgh Steelers, kickoff at 6 p.m. Central on NFL Network — a matchup with extra intrigue given Aaron Rodgers and new Steelers coach Mike McCarthy facing their former team for the first time.