Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Quez Watkins might not be the biggest name on the free agent market, but the speedster is still drawing some interest from across the league. A sixth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Watkins’ best season came in 2021. Appearing in all 17 games while making 12 starts, the Southern Mississippi product finished the season with 43 receptions for 647 yards and one touchdown. While his role has diminished with the arrivals of DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown, it’s clear that some teams still believe in his talents.
According to various reports, three teams are currently interested in signing Quez Watkins as a free agent. The Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans are both looking for their primary vertical option, while the Miami Dolphins are looking for better depth behind star wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Dolphins have been poking around on more receivers to fill out their rotation. Among the names they've inquired about, per source: Quez Watkins, who caught 98 for 1249 and 6 TDs for Eagles over past 4 years. I'm sure there are others too. Not sure who they'll add but more to come
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) March 17, 2024
Quez Watkins Receiving Free Agent Interest From Multiple Teams
Assuming all three teams make similar offers, Quez Watkins will probably sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a free agent. After trading away Diontae Johnson, George Pickens is the only proven receiver on this team. Watkins should get the most playing time here, and Russell Wilson still throws a nice deep ball.
Of course, there is a chance that Quez Watkins is just a fallback option in case some of these teams cannot land their desired free agent. The Steelers, for instance, have been linked to Tyler Boyd, Brandon Aiyuk, and the recently signed Mike Williams. The Dolphins, meanwhile, re-signed Braxton Berrios, but he’s not much of a vertical threat. This offense is built around taking the top off the defense, and Watkins’ straight-line speed can help accomplish that goal.
While these three teams have been reported to show interest in the free agent, anyone could make a move for Quez Watkins. The former sixth-round pick is not going to break the bank, so he should be in every team’s price range. If a dark horse team comes to sign the former sixth-round pick, it will probably be one of these four teams.
Possible Team Fits
New England Patriots
Tyquan Thornton is putting on some much-needed weight, but the Patriots shouldn’t count on him to solve the issues with the wide receiver room. The former second-round pick finished the 2023 season with just 91 yards in nine games, and players like that generally don’t turn it around in Year 3. Quez Watkins is no superstar, but the free agent can be a more reliable deep threat for whoever is under center next season.
Kansas City Chiefs
Marquise Brown is one of the better deep threats in the game when healthy, but he struggles to stay on the field. If the former first-round pick suffered another injury, then the Chiefs won’t have a single outside vertical threat on the roster. Quez Watkins won’t be able to replicate Brown’s production, but the free agent should be an upgrade on Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and he’ll be a lot cheaper.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers have a reliable outside threat in Adam Thielen, a shifty possession receiver in Diontae Johnson, and an improved offensive line. The last thing they need is a reliable deep threat to stretch the defense. While Quez Watkins is not a long-term solution, the free agent can fill the role in the short term and provide some competition for Carolina’s inevitable rookie wide receiver.
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills replaced Gabriel Davis with Curtis Samuel in one of the best signings of the offseason, but they still need a vertical threat. Stefon Diggs is starting to slow down, so this offense needs somebody else with the speed to get past a safety. Quez Watkins fits perfectly in this offense, as Josh Allen has the arm talent to hit the free agent at any part of the field.
Main Photo: Vincent Carchietta – USA Today Sports
