Packers Sign Sammy Watkins To One-Year Deal, Take First Step In Rebuilding WR Corps
The Packers took their first step in replenishing their receiving corps Thursday, inking free agent receiver Sammy Watkins to a one-year, $4 million deal.
It's a low-risk, high-reward deal for Green Bay, who had been looking for cheaper free agents to help offset the departures of Davante Adams and Marquez Valdes-Scantling, as OutKick's Armando Salguero pointed out.
Adams, after a contract dispute, was traded to the Raiders for 2022 first and second-round picks. Valdes-Scantling, meanwhile, signed a three-year, $30 million deal with the Chiefs in free agency.
Prior to the Watkins signing, Green Bay was looking quite thin on its receiving depth chart, with Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb the notables remaining. Watkins, 28, immediately becomes the biggest name of that group, even if the production has dipped in recent seasons.
A standout at Clemson, Watkins was selected by the Bills with the fourth overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. In his first two seasons in Buffalo, Watkins hauled in 125 receptions for 2,029 yards and 15 touchdowns. That included his first and only 1,000-yard season of his career in 2015.
He's bounced around the league since then, making stops with the Rams, Chiefs and Ravens. His 673 receiving yards in 2019 playing with Patrick Mahomes were his most in a season since 2015.
Perhaps a year with another elite quarterback in Aaron Rodgers will do Watkins wonders, as well as a chance to emerge as the team's No. 1 receiver. All eyes now turn to the NFL Draft for Green Bay, who had been heavily linked to drafting a receiver with one of their two first-round picks (No. 22 & 28).
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