Getty Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins.
A former member of Chiefs Kingdom is being placed on waivers with less than a month remaining in the NFL regular season.
The Green Bay Packers are releasing veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins, according to NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero on December 19. This comes on the same day as the Packers’ Monday Night Football game against the Los Angeles Rams.
The #Packers are releasing WR Sammy Watkins, per sources.
Watkins will go on waivers.
Watkins will always be remembered in Chiefs Kingdom for his 2019 Super Bowl run with the Kansas City Chiefs. He joined the team on a three-year, $38 million deal during the 2018 offseason, and earned his paycheck during the championship run for the 2019 season.
In three games during that championship run, Watkins caught 14 passes on 18 targets for 288 receiving yards and 1 touchdown, according to Pro Football Reference. In Super Bowl LIV, he caught 5 passes on 6 targets for 98 yards, including a 38-yard catch in which Watkins put San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman on skates in the fourth quarter.
Sammy Watkins says he saw Davante Adams “kill [Richard Sherman] on inside release” in the NFC title game ✍️
After recognizing man coverage in the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl, Watkins torched him for a huge 38-yarder.
(via @thecheckdown)
Watkins’ KC Stint Ended After Back-to-Back Runs
The following offseason, Kansas City re-signed Watkins to a one-year deal. After the Chiefs failed to win the Super Bowl against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2020 season, Watkins took to free agency during the 2021 offseason and signed a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens.
After accumulating 7 catches on 49 targets for 394 receiving yards and 1 touchdown in 13 games with Baltimore, Watkins then took to free agency again this offseason and signed a one-year deal with the Packers.
Watkins spent the majority of the first half of the 2022 regular season on injured reserve. Even when he returned he wasn’t an impact player on the field, though. In 9 games played this season with Green Bay, Watkins had 13 receptions on 22 targets for 206 receiving yards. That was all while playing 50% of the team’s total offensive snaps.
Now that Watkins has been released, he is subject to the waiver wire. That means any team that is interested in his services can attempt to claim him. If a team does put in a claim for him and wins the claim, they will have to take on the rest of his one-year contract, which includes $186,667 in base salary plus $19,411.67 for each game he’s active the rest of the regular season, per Pelissero.
Twitter Reacts to Watkins’ Release
Twitter users reacted to Watkins being released by the Packers.
“If you’re wondering if your team would be a contender if they got Sammy right now the answer is no,” Ross Tucker wrote.
@TomPelissero If you’re wondering if your team would be a contender if they got Sammy right now the answer is no
“I still don’t get why we released him like there has to be more to it like wasn’t he on a contract or something? Like this is so bizarre,” another Twitter user wrote.
“Bears are claiming him. No doubt,” another user wrote. “They literally have no WRs lol. They can get one for pennies on the dollar now and at least give Fields something to work with the last 3 games.”
@TomPelissero Bears are claiming him. No doubt. They literally have no WRs lol. They can get one for pennies on the dollar now and at least give Fields something to work with the last 3 games.
“Notice how the Packer organization with cut an underperforming player in the middle of the season without any problem, but they won’t cut their, underperforming, good-ole-boy coaching hires, like Joe Barry, whose pathetic coaching has cost the Packers yet another season,” another user wrote.
@TomPelissero Notice how the Packer organization with cut an underperforming player in the middle of the season without any problem, but they won’t cut their, underperforming, good-ole-boy coaching hires, like Joe Barry, whose pathetic coaching has cost the Packers yet another season.
”Really a massive vote of confidence for Christian Watson,” another user wrote. “Seriously excited about that dude.”
@TomPelissero Really a massive vote of confidence for Christian Watson. Seriously excited about that dude.