Former K.C. Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins is on his way to visit with the Baltimore Ravens, per NFL reporter Ian Rapoport. It’s the first known movement regarding Watkins so far in free agency.
The Ravens, along with the Chiefs incidentally, have been busy in free agency trying to secure another wide receiver to no avail. The Ravens were reportedly in on Pittsburgh Steelers free agent wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster late last week and even offered him more money than any other suitor, but Smith-Schuster decided to stay in Pittsburgh on a one-year deal and re-enter the market next year.
Sammy Watkins is certainly a talented addition for any team as a physical wide receiver who is especially dangerous after the catch. His ability to generate tough yards make him almost like a running back once he’s got the ball in the open field. That said, availability is the best ability, as they say, and that’s where Watkins’ stock takes a major hit. It’s also why the Chiefs likely decided to turn the corner this offseason after three seasons with Watkins.
Watkins missed a total of 14 games during his three-year stint with the Chiefs, including six games each in 2018 and 2020. This past season, a calf injury kept him out of several regular season games as well as the majority of the postseason.
The upside here for the Ravens is the chance to add a player who can really make a difference when healthy. Watkins was a postseason hero for K.C. during the Super Bowl run of 2019 with 14 catches for 288 yards and 1 touchdown in only three games. Watkins’ ability to punish defenses for keying in too heavily on Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill made a major difference in the team’s ability to come back from double-digit deficits in every playoff game during the championship run.
As for the Ravens, it makes sense to bring in Watkins (and even further help) given the desperate need for veteran help at the position. Lamar Jackson is in need of quality targets among the team’s wideouts and the team could lose Willie Snead and/or Dez Bryant in free agency themselves.