Sammy Watkins was one of the NFL’s best young receivers in 2014 and 2015 when he amassed over 2,000 yards and 15 touchdowns in his first 29 games. Since then, injuries and erratic usage have curtailed his once-promising career. Some receivers his age are trying to land on a Super Bowl-caliber team. At 28 years old, Watkins needs an opportunity in free agency to prove he still belongs. With that in mind, what are our predictions for which landing spots might be best for him and his team?
Predictions for Sammy Watkins in 2022 NFL Free Agency
How good is Watkins? It would be easy to dismiss him. The Ravens signed him last season to a one-year, $6 million deal with $5 million guaranteed. He’ll get another one-year “prove-it” deal somewhere in the coming days or weeks, though presumably at a lower price. So the market is the market. Watkins no longer requires starters’ money.
That said, he played decently enough during his three seasons in Kansas City from 2018 to 2020. He’s not well-suited as a primary target. Instead, as a No. 3 or No. 4 receiving option in a spread-the-ball offense, he could continue to tack on 40-500-4 receiving lines for the coming years. In other words, Watkins could find a home on a team needing an experienced role player. Additionally, he could provide short-term relief to a WR-deficient team needing a bridge before rebuilding or restocking in 2023.
Here are three teams where Watkins could have a very positive impact if things break right.
Houston Texans
PFN colleague Jason Katz suggested the Texans as a landing spot yesterday, and he’s spot-on. Beyond Brandin Cooks and Nico Collins, Houston leaned on tertiary talents like Chris Conley, Chris Moore, and Danny Amendola. This team probably remains at least a couple of years away from playoff contention; it could be 3-4 years.
Watkins won’t elevate them any faster. But he could be an instant No. 3 receiver on a team frequently playing from behind. Houston wins because they have a “name” to go with improved production, and Watkins wins because he can flex his football muscles a bit more in an offense that should find itself throwing deep into games.
Tennessee Titans
How deep do the Titans want to dig to find a suitable No. 2 or No. 3 receiver? They just released Julio Jones, meaning Nick Westbrook-Ikhine could start opposite A.J. Brown. Of course, Tennessee could snag a terrific young wideout at next month’s NFL Draft; that actually seems like the most likely scenario.
But in the meantime, we have to wonder if the Titans want Westbrook-Ikhine to start or even serve as the No. 3 receiver if they draft an immediate-impact receiver. Remember, Watkins doesn’t need to get 55 receptions on 80 targets for 750 yards to be useful. In an offense led by Derrick Henry and Brown, Tennessee needs to upgrade last year’s role players, which included guys like Chester Rogers (43 targets).
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals’ passing attack will be led by DeAndre Hopkins, Rondale Moore, and Zach Ertz. This has the makings of a very good offense, but it puts a lot of pressure on Hopkins, Kyler Murray, and the newly re-signed James Conner to carry most of the load.
A team that signs a 32-year-old A.J. Green a year after posting a measly 47-523-2 line in 16 games surely must be open — maybe a little bit open? — to signing the younger Watkins. Granted, Green came in with six 1,000+ yard seasons under his belt. However, his last one occurred four years earlier.
So yes, the Cardinals are open to rummaging through talent to find someone who’s worth more than his recent numbers suggest. And to Arizona’s credit, they were right: Green had his best season since 2017. Perhaps Watkins can offer comparable value with Murray throwing to him.
