Ravens, Watkins agree to 1-year, $6M deal
The Baltimore Ravens and wide receiver Sammy Watkins agreed to a one-year contract pending the results of a physical, the team announced.
The deal is worth $6 million and includes $5 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Watkins spent the last three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, averaging 61 receptions, 759 yards, and four touchdowns per 16 games played. The 27-year-old, who was an important weapon in the playoffs during the Chiefs' Super Bowl run two seasons ago, racked up 27 catches for 421 yards and two scores through 10 games last year.
The Ravens will be the Clemson product's fourth team. The former fourth overall pick also spent time with the Buffalo Bills (2014-16) and Los Angeles Rams (2017).
Watkins is Baltimore's latest attempt to improve the offensive supporting cast around quarterback Lamar Jackson, but it might not be the last as the veteran pass-catcher has struggled to stay healthy (14 regular-season games missed since 2018) and has topped 50 catches only once over the last five years.
The team has been trying to add a new wide receiver since free agency began but has failed to land the top options available. Baltimore reportedly pursued JuJu Smith-Schuster and Kenny Golladay before they signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants, respectively.
The Ravens have struggled to own a balanced offense in recent years. While their run game ranked first in each of the last two seasons, the passing attack placed last in 2020 with just 171.2 yards per game. Wideout Marquise Brown was Jackson's main target last year with 58 receptions, 769 yards, and eight touchdowns.
In Baltimore, Watkins will reunite with offensive coordinator Greg Roman, who was the Bills offensive coordinator for two seasons and helped Watkins post his only 1,000-yard season in 2015.
The Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, and Tennessee Titans reportedly were also interested in Watkins.