The Baltimore Ravens have finally found a new wide receiver in free agency. On Friday, Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported that the Ravens are expected to sign former Kansas City Chiefs wideout Sammy Watkins to a one-year deal worth $6 million. According to Rapoport, $5 million is fully guaranteed. Watkins, who turns 28 in June, will have the chance to serve as Lamar Jackson's new No. 1, and mentor the younger wide receivers on roster.
Watkins was being recruited by the Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts, according to reports, but has opted to sign with the former. Watkins goes from one MVP quarterback to the other, as he leaves Patrick Mahomes for Jackson. He is coming off of a down year with the Chiefs, as he caught a career-low 37 passes for 421 yards and two touchdowns in 10 games played. In 2019, which ended with a Super Bowl victory, Watkins caught 52 passes for 673 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games played. Watkins was originally drafted by the Buffalo Bills with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Clemson. His best professional season came in 2015, when he caught 60 passes for a career-high 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns in just 13 games played.
This is a big signing for the Ravens, as the team has had trouble wooing top free agent wideouts this offseason. They failed to steal JuJu Smith-Schuster away from the Pittsburgh Steelers or T.Y. Hilton from the Colts, and then weren't prepared to break the bank for Kenny Golladay. Marquise Brown was the Ravens' leading receiver in 2020 with 58 catches for 769 yards and eight touchdowns, but he -- along with the rest of the wide receiving corps -- struggled mightily with drops. Tight end Mark Andrews is one of the best in the game, but adding a legitimate wide receiver could help Jackson take his play to another level.
