The Baltimore Ravens brought in veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins during the 2021 offseason for his impact both on and off of the field. While he was able to be a positive influence in the locker room, his on-field performance was inconsistent and tapered off as the year progressed.
Baltimore entered free agency with a rather big need at wideout, and were rumored to be going after players such as JuJu Smith-Schuster and T.Y. Hilton. However, after both players reportedly turned the team down, they pivoted to Watkins, who they ended up giving a one-year deal worth $6 million.
Watkins ended the 2021 season with 27 catches for 394 yards and one touchdown. He was a big part of a few iconic moments for the team, including a 4th-and-19 conversion against the Detroit Lions in Week 3 and catching what would have been the game-winning touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 13 if the team had been successful on their two-point conversion attempt.
The veteran receiver has been labeled as injury prone over the course of his career, and that didn’t change with the Ravens. He missed four games in 2021, and still has yet to play a full slate of game since his rookie year with the Buffalo Bills in 2014.
Baltimore’s need for a wide receiver in 2022 free agency is practically non-existent. While they potentially have room for one or at a maximum two wideouts, it feels likely that Watkins would want a bit bigger of a role than the Ravens would be able to offer him. With players such as Marquise Brown, Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay, James Proche II and Tylan Wallace all deserving of snaps next year, it’s hard to profile where Watkins would fit in among that group, especially after his decline in snaps over the second half of the season.
It’s possible that Watkins could return if the two sides can find a team-friendly price point that works for both parties and the veteran is on board with playing somewhat of a reduced role. His veteran leadership is extremely valuable for a young group of wideouts, and he can absolutely still be used in certain situations on the field. However, Watkins’ one year in Baltimore didn’t go quite as expected, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see the team move on and go in a different direction.