Before the draft, Browns G.M. Ray Farmer gushed about the possibility that receiver Sammy Watkins will be on the board when Cleveland exercises the fourth pick in the draft. Watkins was -- and Farmer didn’t take the former Clemson receiver.
Instead, the Browns swapped spots with the Bills, dropping by five slots and picking up a first-round pick and a fourth-round pick in 2015.
As a result, Watkins is keenly aware of a November 30 date with Cleveland.
“I have a chip on my shoulder for every game, so it’s not just the Browns,” Watkins said at the Rookie Symposium, via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I come out and dominate my opponent every game. I’m sure they’ve got great cornerbacks and great safeties, but my job is to do my job on the field no matter who’s in front of me, whether it’s [Browns cornerback] Joe Haden or [New England Patriots cornerback Darrelle] Revis or [Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard] Sherman, all the greats. My job is to win on the field and do my best.”
Watkins nevertheless looks forward to late November, versus the Browns.
“It’ll be a great matchup,” Watkins said. “We can go out there, battle, scrap, have a couple fights. It’s going to be great.”
“Great” will be in the eye of the beholder, especially after Thanksgiving. Chances are that one or both teams won’t be serious contenders by then, making the Watkins angle perhaps the only reason to watch the game. Other than fantasy football.