After making multiple offers to big-name wide receivers, the Ravens will soon have one under contract. Sammy Watkins agreed to terms with the Ravens on Friday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
The former Bills, Rams and Chiefs wideout will sign a one-year deal worth $6MM, with Adam Schefter of ESPN.com noting (via Twitter) the deal will include $5MM fully guaranteed. This will signal a major shift for Watkins, earnings- and scheme-wise.
Baltimore has been hunting high-profile wideouts for a bit now. The Ravens offered more money to JuJu Smith-Schuster and T.Y. Hilton, only to see those players opt to re-sign with the Steelers and Colts, respectively. Kenny Golladay also landed on the Ravens’ radar, but the ex-Lions target received a big-ticket offer from the Giants and committed to New York. The Ravens hosted Watkins on a visit, and the talented but injury-prone pass catcher will head to Baltimore to join an offense in need of aerial help.
Watkins will pair with Marquise Brown on the NFL’s run-heaviest offense. It will certainly represent a change for the former No. 4 overall pick, who operated as the No. 2 receiver on one of the most explosive passing attacks in NFL history. The Chiefs were interested in keeping Watkins, but it did not sound like re-signing him was a must for the two-time reigning AFC champions. Watkins signed a monster accord with the Chiefs in 2018 — a three-year, $48MM deal that affected the NFL’s wideout market — and delivered in spurts, even though he did not end up living up to that lofty contract.
The Chiefs received some crucial Watkins contributions in the playoffs, with the former Clemson star surpassing 75 receiving yards in four of the six postseason games he played with Kansas City. However, Watkins also missed time due to injury in each of his three seasons in Missouri, sitting out 14 regular-season games as a Chief. He missed two playoff games this past season as well and has not topped 700 receiving yards in a season since 2015, when he compiled a career-high 1,047 — in a Bills run-heavy offense featuring Tyrod Taylor.
Still, Watkins is only heading into his age-28 season and will provide a high-end talent for a Ravens offense that has been limited at receiver since Lamar Jackson took the reins in 2018. It should not be ruled out Baltimore will further address the position in the draft, but after the team struck out on acquiring veteran starters, Watkins will lessen the burden on the front office to land a proven receiver.
Signed and straight to the IR.
Surprised no other WR wanted to go play with Lamar. Are they bringing back Dez?
No Dez. He said he wasn’t coming back
Why would any WR wanna play with lamar, it’s a run first offense with a run first QB
Yup and BORING
Lamar is a great athlete and decent QB but I think we have seen the best of him. Just my opinion. I think teams have figured him out and he will still be a productive above average too 12 QB but nothing like 2019.
I completely agree with everything you said. He’s a stellar athlete who brought a different style of play to the league (different in regards to how the QB position has evolved of late). Unfortunately for him, there are a LOT of genius defensive minds in the NFL who will, usually more sooner than later, find ways to combat “different.” Lamar no longer has the element of surprise on his side.
Snark in the comment section? Right to jail.
Lmao.
Let’s goooooooo I think Sammy will be a great fit I’m so happy he’s coming to the Ravens!
Why do you need someone for 8 games and 450 yards that bad?”
Considering that would project out to 900 yds over a full span… that’s not bad production for 8 games from a WR2 in a Greg Roman scheme. And in the other 8 games someone else is getting snaps and yards… the 3rd option (after WR1 and TE1) in a Roman scheme rarely eclipses 500 yds.
Other Possibilities. You just don’t get it. Sorry
First, it’s OhthePossibiloties, not Other Possibilities.
Second, it’s not like you provided any in depth analysis to “get.” You snarked and said he’s gonna have injuries and only put up 450 yds in 8 games. What you don’t get is how silly your snark sounds as 450 in 8 games would be solid value for the money he’s getting in that scheme.
Sorry you’re not as clever as you think you are. Better luck next time.
Thought AB would send up with Lamar
Winning shuts up critics and makes legal problems disappear. He’s not THAT dumb to leave Tompa.
Sammy Watkins is a high quality receiver. He will be a tremendous addiction to the Ravens.
Great WR, if he plays
Uh…. he May workout but I doubt the Ravens will be “ addicted “
Wasted of 5-6 million right there. We gotta lock up Mark Andrew’s before the season starts and Lamar next season after he proves it in the playoffs this year. I really believe Miles Boykins and Justin Duvenay are the ones that’ll be here long term. Browns gonna want to much plus he really is not a number 1.
He gotta be the oldest 28 year old ever. Feels like he’s 33 lol.
His number of days on IR will be higher than his Targets.
… wait: I wonder if his career stats are already like that?
Sammy Watkins Always has a good week 1 and the fade away
I think the Ravens must have realized that the defensive gurus in the NFL have Lamar’s current style of play pretty well figured out now. With the types of receivers they’re trying to sign, I’d guess they want to make an effort to add more passing to Lamar’s arsenal, at least enough so that it’s not as easy to defeat him with a “stop Lamar rushing first” scheme.
I guess it was either that or line up with four or five tight ends who block well…
Jeremy Maclin 2.0
Hope you know how to block
You would think the Ravens would want down-the-field burners at wide receiver; both to keep the safeties away from the line of scrimmage and to empty the middle of the field for Andrews.