The Green Bay Packers aren’t the only ones excited about Sammy Watkins’ potential this season. Pro Football Focus recently highlighted Watkins as a receiver primed for a bigger role in 2022. After signing a one-year deal, Watkins has been working out this offseason with Buffalo Bills receiver Gabriel Davis and his trainer Bert Whigham.
Unprompted, Whigham spoke highly of Watkins in a recent interview.
“That guy is going to be good for the Packers. He started working with us like seven weeks ago, and he said he wanted to be ‘college Sammy.’ Sammy is going to have a big year. He told me, ‘I want to be Clemson Sammy Watkins.’ And I was like, ‘OK, let’s do it.’ He’s just up there squatting 405 for eight right now like it’s nothing. He started around 218, and he’s at 225 right now, too. He’s going to go be a No. 1 in Green Bay.”
If Watkins can return to his college form, that would provide a huge boost to Green Bay’s offense. In three seasons at Clemson, Watkins totaled 240 receptions for 3,391 yards (14.1 YPC) and 27 receiving touchdowns. He would eventually be the fourth overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft to the Bills.
Watkins immediately became the number one receiver in Buffalo, finishing his first two seasons with a combined 125 receptions for 2,029 yards and 15 touchdowns. Unfortunately, a perpetual run of injuries has prevented Watkins from having WR1 production since.
The 29-year-old receiver has not played a full slate of games since his rookie season. Last season was perhaps his worst as a pro as a member of the Baltimore Ravens after posting career-lows in targets, receptions, and yards.
Now set to play for his fifth team, Watkins knows his back is against the wall.
“That’s been the knock on my career, staying on the field,” Watkins said in June.
“Just do everything in my might and power to stay on the field. When I’m on the field, I can ball, I can catch the ball, I can score. I’m a dominant player. But the key is staying on the field.”
Of course, catching passes from Aaron Rodgers will also help. Watkins did play alongside Patrick Mahomes for three seasons in Kansas City but was usually the third option behind Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill.
In Green Bay, Watkins has a chance to be a first or second option. During minicamp, head coach Matt LaFleur stated that Watkins would be a “big part of our offense.” The Packers do not have a clear-cut number one after trading Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The team is high on Allen Lazard and second-rounder Christian Watson, but no one is ruling out Watkins from being a big part of this year’s offense if he can stay healthy.