Packers signing Sammy Watkins to one-year deal

Posted by Josh Alper on April 14, 2022, 2:21 PM EDT
Baltimore Ravens v Las Vegas Raiders
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The Packers have added a piece to their receiving corps.

Veteran wideout Sammy Watkins visited the team on Thursday and things went well enough that Watkins has agreed to a one-year deal with the team. According to multiple reports, the deal is worth up to $4 million.

The Packers will be Watkins’ fifth NFL team. He spent three years with the Bills, a year with the Rams, and three years with the Chiefs before joining the Ravens in 2021. He played 13 games for Baltimore and ended the season with 27 catches for 394 yards and a touchdown.

Watkins joins Randall Cobb and Allen Lazard at the top of the Packers wide receiver depth chart. Amari Rodgers, Juwann Winfree, Malik Taylor, Rico Gafford, and Chris Blair are also on the roster in Green Bay.

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67 responses to “Packers signing Sammy Watkins to one-year deal”

  2. The only bad thing is that it lessens the chance they’ll trade for McLaurin. Well, on to the draft to complete the reloading.

  3. The Packers do things on the cheap most of the time. Mr. Watkins was rated high coming out of college, and has played with some really good QBs. He should know how to do it by now, so maybe the Packers catch lightening in a bottle.

  5. For the five or so games he plays he will put up great numbers with ARod.

  6. Low risk and inexpensive investment. If he is rejuvenated, great. If he is washed up, it didn’t cost much.

  8. So this was the BIG super secret veteran WR deal we have been hearing about?

    Now gutey can use his two firsts for something other than WR again.

  10. He should get a lot more catches now that he will have a real QB throwing the ball to him. What was he thinking signing with the Ravens in the first place.

  12. Sometimes I admit I don’t know what I’m talking about. I swore this guy would be a superstar coming out of Clemson.

  20. mnrasslinggovjesse says:
    April 14, 2022 at 2:24 pm
    The only bad thing is that it lessens the chance they’ll trade for McLaurin. Well, on to the draft to complete the reloading.
    ——————-
    This draft is loaded with WRs

  21. So the Packers now have Sammy Watkins and Randall Cobb as starting WR’s. This would be great news…if it were 2014. Maybe they could see if Jordy Nelson or Donald Driver are available.

  22. GB has never been “in it to win it.” They’re happy to be competitive. Packer fans have so little in their life that being competitive and making the playoffs is good enough. The record over the last 5 years although good is misleading. They are a soft team. Even without Adam’s they’ll win 10 plus games make the playoffs and lose. It’s who they are these days.

  25. Watkins is certainly an NFLer, but he can’t carry load.

    This is a mere bandaid, what the patient requires is sutures.

  26. he really is a difference maker on the field when he can stay there. i really love the way he plays the game and I’m rooting for him to have success unless he plays the chiefs in the SB.

  27. Watkins has made a whole lot of money in his career. Unfortunately, his production has not matched his lofty compensation.

  30. Better wrap him in bubble wrap until the season starts, good player but bad luck with injuries.

  32. Veteran leadership is always good, but I’m guessing 50 catches for 600 yards. A home run in the draft is still the #1 priority.

  35. The Packers do things on the cheap most of the time.
    ===========

    They reward their own players.

    When they have brought FAs in, usually, tehy’ve done their job.

  38. inozwetrust says:
    April 14, 2022 at 2:55 pm
    mnrasslinggovjesse says:
    April 14, 2022 at 2:24 pm
    The only bad thing is that it lessens the chance they’ll trade for McLaurin. Well, on to the draft to complete the reloading.
    ——————-
    This draft is loaded with WRs

    —————————————————————————————— before the Cin WR last season, no WR has contributed well in their 1st year. i heard Michael Irvin is getting ready for a tryout with the pack next.

  39. Lol. Packer’s chance of trading for McClaurin just went from zero to negative?

  40. Ok what are the odds on how many games he plays this year? I’ll take the under on 8. What are the odds it’s a hamstring injury? I’ll take the over.

  41. “The Packers have added a piece to their receiving corps.”

    A piece of what exactly? Haha

  43. Watkins is Doug Whaley’s legacy to the NFL.
    He was drafted high to a team that didn’t have an elite QB at the time. Then he’s been injured a good amount of time.
    He’s had himself an NFL career, but considering where he was drafted, he’s been an underachiever.

  44. It’s cold in GB, just like Buffalo….. we all saw how well he responds to that issue…. 6-7 games at full speed max…..

  45. He’s pretty much a 3/4th WR if he can stay healthy…he was never a factor with Mahomes throwing to him 2 years ago…

  46. There are plenty of WRs who contributed well in their first year. Justin Jefferson literally put up like 1300 yards in his first year which was just the year before last.

  48. Watkins hasn’t gotten over 650 yards in the past 6 seasons despite playing for 2 MVP’s during most of that time… he doesn’t replace MVS much less Devante Adams

  50. Bust of a player when you consider he was taken 4th overall in the 2014 Draft. 8 seasons played only ONE year over 1,000 yds in 2015 at 1,047 with 9 tds.

  53. Low dollar veteran insurance policy. For all those who love to troll us Packer fans, guess what Jerry Rice or Randy Moss in their prime aren’t out there waiting to be signed. Why try to trade for a McLaurin or Metcalf? Those guys would cost a fortune in compensation AND salary. Nope, it’s gonna be two of their top 5 picks. Let’s see, past Packer second round WR’s include Davante Adams, Jordy Nelson, Greg Jennings and Randall Cobb…. James Jones and Donald Driver were day 3 picks, I like our chances. WR’s have gone the way of RB’s, get the good young ones and live off their rookie or second contracts and move on. Green Bay did that with Nelson, Cobb and Jennings and they were right. Time will tell if they made the right choice on Adams

  54. before the Cin WR last season, no WR has contributed well in their 1st year. i heard Michael Irvin is getting ready for a tryout with the pack next.
    _________________________________________________________________________________________

    Justin Jefferson 88 rec 1400 yds 7 tds
    Randy Moss 69 rec 1313 yds 17 tds
    AJ Green 65 rec 1057 yds 7 tds
    Anquan Boldin 101 1377 8 tds
    Andre Johnson 66 rec 976 yds 4 tds
    Michael Clayton 80 rec 1193 yds 7 tds
    Julio Jones 54 rec 959 yds 8 tds
    Joey Galloway 67 rec 1039 yds 7 tds
    AJ Brown 52 rec 1051 yds 8 tds

    I could go on and on: Isaac Curtis, Sammy White, Terry Glenn, Chris Collinsworth, Marques Colston, Keenan Allen, OBJ and more. It is certainly NOT uncommon for a rookie WR to be highly successful as rookies. Aaron Rodgers being their QB makes that success even more attainable.

  55. If a team doesn’t have a legit number one reciever, then they absolutely need two solid number2’s and it wouldnt hurt to have a third. Sammy Watkins is a great number 2 reciever. He’s never been anything better than a great number 2. The Packers are really going to need to find another great #2 if not a number one or they just aren’t going to convert many third and fives and longer next year. Cause after Watkins, they have absolutely nothing.

    I’m giving Watkins the benefit of the doubt on last year because he was playing in Baltimore’s pathetic passing offense, but the truth is, doubts are starting to creep in as to whether Watkins is even a great number 2 anymore. I’m rooting for it to work out though.

  56. I’m optimistic for the Pack on this one. Seems like a safe, high upside move. Watkins can turn it on at times and his style seems to fit Rodgers. I like it.

  57. He’s exactly what GB needs. He’ll block in the run game, convert 3rd downs and take advantage of mismatches that 12 will hep create for him. Still need someone to keep Cobb off the field and stretch defenses. If they add that and Amari comes on just a little, they can actually be better than last year…. Tonyan being back and not counting on Sternberger at all would help too.

  58. Watson’s only issue is staying healthy. If he’s on the field he’s a top WR. With Rodgers at QB he can easily get 16 TD’s.

  59. inozwetrust says:
    April 14, 2022 at 2:55 pm

    mnrasslinggovjesse says:
    April 14, 2022 at 2:24 pm
    The only bad thing is that it lessens the chance they’ll trade for McLaurin. Well, on to the draft to complete the reloading.
    ——————-
    This draft is loaded with WRs

    ÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷÷

    So was the 2020 draft, but the Packers still didn’t bother to draft a WR when they needed one (or more).

  62. The biggest difference among NFCN teams and their expectations for success in 2022 isn’t the receivers, it’s Aaron Rodgers, and nothing has changed.

    Good luck with that.

  63. Great we got a has been well wait a minute it’s not a stretch to call him a bust .

  65. As noted it’s up to $4 million so it’s a low risk high reward deal. It’s cliche, but haters are gonna hate. Any deal the Packers made for any player, folks on here are gonna say they spent too much or not enough or yadiyada..just hot air. And fear.
    Rodger’s has already spoken to Watkins and commented how stoked he is about playing with him.
    It’s really gonna drive haters on here nuts when the Packers end up having a more efficient, diverse offense this year.

  66. A pretty ordinary WR. Considering where he was drafted and the amount of hype that surrounded him, he’s been pretty much a draft bust. Maybe Rodgers will get the best out of him, once they’ve had a few weeks into the season for Rodgers to get familiar with his new players.

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