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The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to sign free agent wide receiver Sammy Watkins, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The top free agent receiver is off the market: The #Chiefs are planning to sign WR Sammy Watkins to a 3-year deal, sources say. KC’s offense lands a huge weapon.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2018
The Chiefs reportedly came to an agreement with Watkins late Monday night. Here are the details:
Final terms of the #Chiefs expected deal for WR Sammy Watkins: 3 years, $48M with $30M fully guaranteed at signing, sources say.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2018
Watkins, 24, was the fourth-overall pick by the Buffalo Bills in the 2014 NFL Draft. He spent three seasons with the Bills before being traded to the Los Angeles Rams last August.
Watkins caught 39 passes for 593 yards and eight touchdowns on the Rams last season. Watkins’ best output came in 2015, when he had 1,047 yards with the Bills.
The Rams-Chiefs game scheduled for 2018 continues to get more and more interesting, with cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib on the Rams and now Watkins on the Chiefs.
Between Travis Kelce, Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hill and the newly-acquired Watkins, it would be hard to argue that the Chiefs don’t own the best tandem of skill-position players in the entire league.
Good morning, Patrick Mahomes.
UPDATE (March 14)
Details have emerged on Watkins’ contract details, via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
Sammy Watkins' $48M Chiefs deal: $30M gtd, $21M signing bonus, salaries $790K (gtd), $11.95M ($8.21M full gtd), $13.75M; $10K workout bonus 2018, $250K workout bonus 2019, 2020
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 14, 2018
Watkins’ deal equates to about an $8 million cap hit for 2018, providing the room general manager Brett Veach needs in order to make additional moves for the upcoming season.
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Reactions to Chiefs signing Sammy Watkins
Chiefs are building an offense to outscore people if they need to. I'm expecting a serious downfield attack. Watkins and Ty and torch you deep, safeties will have to play deep and that SHOULD help out the OL and run game. If Pat is the real deal, good luck stopping that.
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) March 13, 2018
A big reason Watkins chose the Chiefs was Mahomes, folks. Zero doubt about his ability to throw the long ball and he knows he'll see a lots of single coverage bc of Tyreek
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) March 13, 2018
Fact is, Watkins has NEVER had a QB in the NFL that has consistently thrown him the long ball. Pat's arm talent is real and his downfield mentality is consistent. Chiefs are betting he'll go off this year if he can stay healthy, because the deep ball will be a weapon in KC
— Terez A. Paylor (@TerezPaylor) March 13, 2018
Those of you who are upset about #Chiefs signing Sammy Watkins…keep in mind he is your No. 2 receiver. The best skill-position group in the NFL is almost inarguably in Kansas City.
— Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) March 13, 2018
The Chiefs have a chance to keep offense rolling for some time. Hill, Watkins, Hunt, Mahomes all under 25. All four plus Kelce under contract for at least two more seasons
— Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) March 13, 2018
Sammy Watkins and Tyreek Hill running routes for Pat Mahomes. I like it.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) March 13, 2018
Welcome to the kingdom @sammywatkins !!! Let’s take over
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) March 13, 2018
I've seen so many varied takes on Sammy Watkins today. The accurate take is that he's an uber-talented WR who is only 24 years old who led the league in yards-per-route-run two years ago, who has had injuries that haven't robbed him of his explosiveness so go get him.
— Ian Kenyon (@IanKenyonNFL) March 13, 2018
Sammy Watkins on the field with Tyreek Hill, I want Andy Reid to call this sucker for Pat Mahomes all day. #NFLBlitz pic.twitter.com/cFJfzgOnD3
— Kyle Brandt (@KyleBrandt) March 13, 2018
The Rams gave up a 2nd rounder in August to get Sammy Watkins and they wanted him back badly. They thought they would too. The price was too high, I'm told. The Chiefs, Colts, and Bears were all in the final mix. Kansas City won.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) March 13, 2018
What the Sammy Watkins deal does is reinforce how where you’re drafted is a huge influence in free agency when you haven’t lived up to the draft spot. 1st rd picks will continue to get chances to prove themselves.
— Geoff Schwartz (@geoffschwartz) March 13, 2018