Sammy Watkins is off the market. The fifth-year wideout has reportedly agreed to terms on a three-year, $48 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Final terms of the #Chiefs expected deal for WR Sammy Watkins: 3 years, $48M with $30M fully guaranteed at signing, sources say.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2018
Report: Sammy Watkins Signs With the Kansas City Chiefs
Watkins looked like his old playmaking self in 2017 despite being underutilized. The Buffalo Bills traded their star receiver to the Los Angeles Rams just prior to the season in exchange for cornerback E.J. Gaines and a 2018 second-round pick. He didn’t go through training camp with the Rams, which limited his involvement in the offense. Despite that, he still managed to turn 70 targets into 39 receptions for 593 yards and eight touchdowns.
Second Chances
The receiver’s nagging injury concerns were put to bed after his second surgery to repair a Jones fracture in his foot. His first procedure took place in 2016, the second coming the following year. The second surgery is often the one that fixes the issue, as we saw in the cases of Dez Bryant, Julio Jones, and Julian Edelman.
Watkins had his best statistical season in 2015, the only time he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark. He posted his highest catch rate by far, hauling in 62.5 percent of balls thrown his way and scoring nine touchdowns in the process. As it turned out, Watkins had accumulated 1,047 receiving yards while playing through the season with a stress fracture in his foot.
A Big Investment
The Bills were dead set on drafting Watkins out of Clemson in 2014, and they left nothing to chance. In a draft-day trade with the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo gave up their first-round pick (ninth overall) plus their first and fourth-round picks in 2015 to grab Watkins at fourth overall. As a rookie, he immediately became the focal point of the passing game to the tune of 128 targets.
Watkins could prove to be a real bargain considering his upside. It seems like he’s been around forever, but at 24 years old he hasn’t even hit his peak yet. The four-year veteran is an impact player who often draws double coverage, creating opportunities for his fellow wideouts. With his foot injury in the rearview mirror, Watkins has a bright future.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
