3 Best Remaining Sammy Watkins Free-Agent Destinations in 2022

Free agency has started to take a back seat to the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft, but a number of talented players remain unsigned. That includes veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins. The eight year pro has racked up over 5,000 yards in his career and scored 34 touchdowns across 99 games.

Watkins isn't expected to warrant anything more than $3-5 million per year, which makes him an affordable option for teams in need of help at the WR position. Let's take a look at three of the best remaining free agent destinations for Watkins.

Sammy Watkins Free Agency

1. Cleveland Browns

Cleveland's receiving core has gone through a lot of changes this offseason. Jarvis Landry was released and Amari Cooper was acquired via trade to take over as WR1. Rashard Higgins also left in free agency and Jakeem Grant was signed as a versatile offensive weapon. The fact that Donovan Peoples-Jones is expected to start along the outside suggests there may be more moves to come, though. Watkins provides a veteran presence in the locker room and averages a reliable 14.5 yards per reception in his career. Rotating him in along with the younger players would give new quarterback Deshaun Watson players with fresh legs to throw to. The Browns have more than enough cap space to get a deal done.

2. Houston Texans

Signing Watkins doesn't exactly fit into the idea of a rebuild, but the Texans may not have any other options at this point. Their projected No. 2 WR alongside Brandin Cooks is Nico Collins. While Collins showed potential in 2021, he finished with just 446 yards on 33 receptions. Houston has signed veteran pass-catchers in the past including Chris Conley and Danny Amendola. Giving second-year QB Davis Mills another weapon on offense is never a bad idea and Watkins has posted a catch percentage north of 67% in two of his last four seasons. The 28-year-old still has some pop left, so maybe head coach Lovie Smith can bring the best out of him.

3. Atlanta Falcons

Calvin Ridley's suspension and Russell Gage's departure in free agency have left the Falcons incredibly thin at WR. In fact, there's not a single WR on the roster with more than 800 career receiving yards. Atlanta will likely select a weapon or two in the NFL Draft, but adding Watkins to the mix makes a lot of sense. Watkins has a 1,000-yard season under his belt and knows how to rack up yards after the catch. That is important given QB Marcus Mariota has shown a tendency to get the ball out quickly. Atlanta's lack of cap space also makes Watkins one of the only players they can afford to bring in.

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.