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Group VII: The Wild Cards Who Could Decide the Season- Bill Barnwell- ESPN


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46. Sammy Watkins, WR, Chiefs

You might argue that the Chiefs made an even more shocking bet on Anthony Hitchens than they did on their new wide receiver, but the signing of Watkins makes more of a statement. The Chiefs didn't really need another weapon given the presence of Kareem Hunt, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce. They desperately needed help at cornerback and could have signed someone like Trumaine Johnson with the money they spent on Watkins, although it would have required a longer commitment on paper.

Instead, Kansas City went in the opposite direction and went all-in on weapons for Mahomes. Watkins is still only 25, but he has a serious foot injury in his past and spent last season as a relatively innocuous afterthought in the Rams' offense. Reid has been able to form coherent offenses around workmanlike wideouts like James Thrash and Jason Avant in the past, but Watkins didn't stand out under the halo of Sean McVay when virtually every other Rams weapon had a career year. At $16 million per year, the Chiefs are paying Watkins like he's a top-10 wideout. If he finally comes of age in Kansas City, Reid will break even on the deal. What happens if Watkins doesn't?

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