Sammy Watkins - Pro Football Rumors

Sammy Watkins Suffers Minor Foot Fracture

May 16th, 2016 at 3:34pm CST by Zachary Links

Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins suffered a broken small bone in his foot and had a screw inserted, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). The star is expected to be ready for training camp, Rapoport adds.

Watkins has been banged up in the past but, for the most part, has pushed himself to stay on the field. After having a perfect attendance record in his rookie season, the wide receiver was forced to sit out three games in 2016. The good news, of course, is that Watkins supposedly won’t miss any regular season time from this injury, provided that there are no further complications or aggravations of the injury.

This is the second bad piece of news for the Bills today. Just hours ago, the team announced that promising first-round pick Shaq Lawson will be forced to undergo shoulder surgery in order to avoid his issue getting worse.

Last season, Watkins hauled in 60 passes for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns in his shortened season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Pats, Bills, JPP

October 18th, 2015 at 12:46pm CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots are again among the league’s most legitimate Super Bowl contenders, and although their slow start to 2014 led some to believe that their dynasty was nearing its end, the fact that they brought home the Lombardi Trophy and have opened 2015 undefeated have silenced those talks. And, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes, New England’s window of opportunity won’t be closing anytime soon.

Per La Canfora, there is no significant player on the Patriots’ roster whose contract expires at the end of this season, and the team projects to be at least $8MM under the 2016 salary cap. Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski will count just $22MM against the cap, and no one will earn more than $10MM in 2016. That means that the team can supplement its already-talented roster with marquee free agents–something it has not frequently done in the past–and extend their reign of dominance for another few years. La Canfora also notes that, since New England will be without its first-round pick as a result of the DeflateGate scandal, it could look to move Jimmy Garoppolo for a high pick.

Now for some more notes from the league’s east divisions:

Washington and the Jets are squaring off this afternoon, and as Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com writes, the Jets are looking across the field at two players who could be on their radar in 2016: Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin III. The future for both players is up in the air, and New York, of couse, could be in the market for a quarterback. Jets head coach Todd Bowles was effusive in his praise for Cousins, but indicated that RGIII would not be a consideration for his club.
There were reports this morning that E.J. Manuel could rekindle the Bills‘ quarterback competition with a strong showing today, but Joe Buscaglia of WKBW thinks differently (via Twitter). He notes that Buffalo coaches love Tyrod Taylor and that it would take more than a good performance for the team to even think about moving on from Taylor.
La Canfora tweets that the Bills are “very concerned” that wideout Percy Harvin could miss significant time with his latest injury. Harvin has not played a significant role in the team’s offense this year, and this could represent yet another major setback for the once-explosive playmaker.
Last Thursday, Sammy Watkins publicly bemoaned his lack of targets in the Bills‘ offense thus far in 2015, and Jason Fitzgerald of OverTheCap.com breaks down in detail what targets mean to a wide receiver from a contractual standpoint.
Jay Glazer of FOX Sports tweets that Jason Pierre-Paul will report to the Giants this Tuesday so that the team can check in on his progress. Pierre-Paul is hoping to play soon, but as Jordan Raanan of NJ.com writes, there is still doubt that JPP will be cleared.

East Notes: Eagles, Patriots, Bills

October 16th, 2015 at 8:13pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The Eagles made a pair of noteworthy free agent signings at running back in the offseason when they added DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews. As last season’s NFL rushing champion, Murray signed a far bigger contract than Mathews (five years and $42MM versus three years, $11MM). Their performances this year haven’t reflected their disparate deals, however, as Mathews has easily outplayed Murray. Both backs have a similar number of carries (49 for Murray, 41 for Mathews), but Mathews has averaged an impressive 5.0 yards per attempt against Murray’s paltry 2.7.

To his credit, Murray took the notion of an increase in Mathews’ touches in stride, per Dave Zangaro of CSNPhilly.com.

“Hey, whatever they decide,” Murray said. “I can only control what I can control. I can’t control the plays being called or who’s in on different situations.”

In assessing Mathews, Murray stated, “I think he’s running it great. Obviously, he’s a tough running back, tough to defend, tough guy to bring down and I think he’s been doing well.”

How the two have played this year might not matter this week, as Mathews could miss the Eagles’ key game against the NFC East rival Giants with a groin injury. That would give Murray a chance to sink or swim as the unquestioned go-to back. The fifth-year man has fared respectably of late, rushing 28 times for 119 yards and a touchdown over the last two weeks. He accrued season highs in carries (20) and yards (83) in the Eagles’ 39-17 win over the Saints last Sunday.

Now the latest regarding a couple of AFC East teams:

Bills receiver Sammy Watkins spoke out Thursday about the lack of targets that came his way before he suffered a Week 3 injury. His issues seem to lie with quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who could miss Sunday’s game against the Bengals with a knee injury. That would make EJ Manuel the Bills’ starter under center, and Manuel expressed support for Watkins on Friday (via The Buffalo News’ Tyler Dunne). “I think as quarterbacks, we like to hear our receiver is hungry and wants to make plays.” Manuel and Watkins seemingly established a rapport during their limited work together in 2014: Manuel targeted Watkins 32 times in four games, per Chris Trapasso of NFL.com (Twitter link). On the other hand, in two-plus games this year, Taylor has targeted Watkins 12 times.
With the Patriots weakened at cornerback thanks to Tarell Brown‘s foot injury, they could turn to stalwart safety Devin McCourty for help at the position against the Colts this weekend, writes Phil Perry of CSNNE.com. McCourty came into the league as a corner in 2010 before eventually making the transition to safety. Head coach Bill Belichick used McCourty at corner at times over the summer in the event he’d be needed there this year. That looks as if it could happen this week, as New England is down to Malcolm Butler, Logan Ryan, undrafted rookie Justin Coleman, and newly added waiver-wire pickup Rashaan Melvin at the positon.
In other Patriots news, the team will promote offensive tackle Cameron Fleming from its practice squad to its 53-man roster, tweets ESPN’s Mike Reiss. The former Stanford Cardinal spent all of last season on the Pats’ 53-man roster and played in seven games after they used a fourth-round pick on him.

AFC Notes: Texans, Watkins, Boykin

October 16th, 2015 at 3:37pm CST by Luke Adams

With the NFL eyeing locations beyond the United Kingdom for international games in future seasons, the Texans are targeting a potential game in Mexico City in 2016, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle. Of course, like most other teams that express interest in playing an international contest, Houston would prefer to be the road team in such a game.

“I believe there’s a chance,” Texans president Jamey Rootes said of playing in Mexico City. “We’ve always expressed that we have an interest in participating internationally as a road team. … We’ve made it clear that we’re most interested in doing that in Mexico. It’s an amazing opportunity for the team and the league. But it’s a league decision, and it would be on their timing.”

Let’s check out a few more odds and ends from around the AFC….

With Bills wideout Sammy Watkins having expressed a desire to have more passes thrown his way, Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap examines the situation in Buffalo, discussing the role that targets play in contract discussions for wide receivers.
The Steelers sent a fifth-round pick to Philadelphia when they acquired cornerback Brandon Boykin, but Pittsburgh seems unwilling to play Boykin, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com details. Presumably, the Steelers will want to get some value out of Boykin eventually, to warrant giving up that draft pick, but Fowler looks into why the ex-Eagle has only seen one defensive snap in the last three weeks.
Patriots cornerback Tarell Brown has a potentially serious foot injury and is seeking a second opinion, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. For now, Brown’s availability appears to be week to week, but if the injury is determined to be significant, he could end up on the IR list.
The Dolphins aren’t happy about starting the season with a 1-3 record, or having to make coaching changes, but football czar Mike Tannenbaum tells Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald that he likes the team’s roster.

AFC Notes: Jets, Bills, Dolphins, Browns

September 27th, 2015 at 8:11pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick performed nicely for the Jets in leading them to a 2-0 start, completing well over 60 percent of passes and tossing four touchdowns against two interceptions. However, the 11th-year man came back to earth on Sunday in a 24-17 loss to the Eagles. He threw a whopping 58 passes and three picks while averaging a paltry 4.88 yards per attempt. Afterward, head coach Todd Bowles gave Fitzpatrick a vote of confidence, but he acknowledged that the 32-year-old is going to have to limit mistakes to stay atop the Jets’ depth chart.

“Ryan (Fitzpatrick) is our starter,” said Bowles, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini (Twitter link)

Bowles then added, “You’re not going to win a game throwing three interceptions.”

A look at a few other AFC teams, including some notable injury news:

Although a hamstring injury has slowed Bills running back LeSean McCoy since August, head coach Rex Ryan is reluctant to give him a week off, per ESPN’s Mike Rodak (Twitter link). McCoy, whom Ryan estimates to be at 80 percent, wasn’t much of a factor in the Bills’ 41-14 thrashing of Miami on Sunday. The three-time Pro Bowler rushed for a mere 16 yards on 11 carries, though he did find the end zone for the first time this year on a 10-yard reception.
Like McCoy, receiver Sammy Watkins – one of Buffalo’s other big-time playmakers – was limited Sunday because of injury. The second-year man caught one pass for 39 yards before leaving with a calf injury. Ryan referred to Watkins’ ailment as a “big concern” after the game, Joe Buscaglia of WKBW tweeted.
While McCoy and Watkins didn’t make huge impacts Sunday, the same wasn’t true for most of their offensive cohorts in Bills uniforms. Their embarrassment of the Dolphins should lead to the end of defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle‘s tenure, opines Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. Among Salguero’s reasons: The Dolphins have just one sack this year (none in the last 11-plus quarters), and tackle Ndamukong Suh has gone from a superstar in Detroit to a nonentity in Miami. That won’t cut it for a player who signed a mega-deal worth over $100MM to join the Dolphins in the offseason.
Browns quarterback Josh McCown injured his right hand in the team’s 27-20 loss to Oakland on Sunday and subsequently had X-rays, which were negative, according to ESPN. “I don’t want to speak on it,” McCown said. “I’ll let coach (Mike Pettine) speak on it, but I feel good.”

Front Office Notes: Bills, Jets, Bengals, Bears

January 4th, 2015 at 5:29pm CST by Ben Levine

The Lions success this season has resulted in defensive coordinator Teryl Austin becoming one of the most sought after head coaching candidates in the league. While he isn’t eligible to talk with teams until next week, Austin already has a line of suitors, including the Falcons, 49ers and Bills.

Of course, there’s a chance that Austin may be too busy to interview for a job if his team advances to the next round of the playoffs. Regardless, the 49-year-old is already preparing for a hectic upcoming week:

“The way I think the brackets are set up, we’d play on Saturday next week and it’d be a short week, so a lot of it would have to do, if our team here is ready,” Austin said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “If I think I need the time to get our team ready here, then I won’t interview. But if I feel I’ve got our team and everything that we have in here so that we can go play a quality game then I would.”

Meanwhile, Lions head coach Jim Caldwell believes his defensive coordinator would be a wonderful addition to any organization:

“For all of us, for him, I think, and his family, I think he’s deserving of it and I think he’s going to get one,” Caldwell said. “I think if, once they get an opportunity to see him and listen to him and watch what he’s been able to do, I think it’ll happen for him and I think it’ll be absolutely outstanding.”

Let’s take a look at some more notes from the NFL’s front offices…

One factor that may have contributed to Doug Marrone‘s exit from the Bills was his disagreement with the organization’s draft strategy. ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter reports that the former head coach was not happy with the team sending a pair of first-rounders to the Browns in exchange for the opportunity to select wideout Sammy Watkins.
The Jets could do better than Marrone as their next head coach, writes Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The writer cites people within the Bills organization who describe the former coach as a “control freak,” and Mehta notes that Marrone may be too thin-skinned and ornery for the gig. “It’s about power and control,” a source told Mehta. “That is what drives Doug Marrone. That’s why he is a very dangerous person to have inside the building.”
Despite the Bengals playoff loss this afternoon, a variety of NFL writers would be shocked if the team dismissed head coach Marvin Lewis. Paul Dehner Jr. of The Cincinnati Enquirer tweets that Lewis will be back next season, but his future could be reevaluated following that. NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal tweets that a firing would be “stunning,” while Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio writes that Lewis is still the right man for the job.
The previously reported GM interview between the Bears and Chiefs executive Chris Ballard will take place on Wednesday, tweets NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.

La Canfora’s Latest: Smith, Trestman, London

November 2nd, 2014 at 9:31am CST by Dallas Robinson

As he does most every Sunday, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com has provided several interesting nuggets in a series of articles before today’s slate of games. Let’s dive right in…

Falcons head coach Mike Smith is not expected to return in 2015, writes La Canfora, who notes that owner Arthur Blank is expected to target a high-profile name to take Smith’s place. La Canfora speculates that Jon Gruden and Jim Harbaugh could both be candidates for the Atlanta job, and while it’s just my speculation, it’s fair to wonder if Blank would try to lure ex-Steelers coach Bill Cowher away from his broadcasting gig.
After the Bears suffered an embarrassing loss to the Patriots last week, some in the organization believed head coach Marc Trestman’s job was in jeopardy. Bears ownership eventually stated a vote of confidence in Trestman, but sources tell La Canfora that the Chicago locker room is devoid of leadership. Additionally, general manager Phil Emery’s roster construction, particularly the decision to extend Jay Cutler at an exorbitant price, has come under fire around the league.
There’s no truth to a recent report that the NFL wants to play five games in London in 2015, according to La Canfora. However, the league is confident it can schedule games in London on consecutive weekends next year. Last week’s 9:30am EST kickoff was well-received in the league offices, meaning such early start times could be seen again in 2015 (Twitter link).
The NFL has scheduled a special meeting for its stadium and fiance committees for later this month. Relocating a team to Los Angeles isn’t officially on the docket, but sources tell La Canfora that the matter is expected to be discussed.
Bills receiver Sammy Watkins has been steadily improving in 2014, and mere rookie progression might not be the only reason. Watkins, the fourth overall pick in this year’s draft, was playing through broken ribs during the early portion of the season.
Browns tight end Jordan Cameron will likely miss the next two games with a concussion, and sources tell La Canfora that because this Cameron’s third concussion, both his short- and long-term future are uncertain.

NFC North Notes: Watkins, Lions, Peterson

October 3rd, 2014 at 12:06pm CST by Zachary Links

Bears teammates Willie Young, Ego Ferguson, and Jeremiah Ratliff are all products of Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia. It was an experience that helped mold them for the NFL, writes Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “You can’t explain to anybody else what Hargrave was unless you’ve been through it,” Ferguson, the Bears rookie defensive tackle, said. “People don’t understand unless you’ve been there and understood the struggle and the grind it took to make it.” Today’s look at the NFC North..

Back on draft day, when the Bills sent their 2015 first-rounder to Cleveland in order to select Sammy Watkins, there was speculation that the Lions had also been considering such a move as well. But head coach Jim Caldwell said today that the Lions weren’t close to trading up for Watkins, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I think it was more driven outside of this building than inside,” Caldwell said. “Folks caught onto it and I think that was probably more so than anything else.”
The next significant step in the Adrian Peterson case comes on October 8th when he’ll be arraigned on a charge of injury to a child, says Tom Pelissero of USA Today Sports (video link). There have been no plea negotiations and the Vikings running back does not want to plea even if that would get him back on the field sooner. Peterson believes he is innocent and wants to clear his name. It’s up to the judge when Peterson goes to trial and prosecutors have said that it could take 9-12 months to get on the docket. If that’s the case, Peterson will not only miss the whole 2014 season, but could miss part of 2015 as well.
Because of the injury to Joseph Fauria, rookie tight end Eric Ebron figures to see more time for the Lions, writes Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com. “We see that foundation of it is being built,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “We can see the reaction to different situations that he’s confronted with on the practice field and during the course of the games that we think he’s making good progress.”

AFC Notes: McPhee, Hurns, Amaro, Mack

August 23rd, 2014 at 12:43pm CST by Matt Feminis

Ravens outside linebacker Pernell McPhee is a player to watch in tonight’s third preseason game against the Redskins, says Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun: “Healthy this year after having no surgeries this offseason — unlike previous years when he’s undergone groin and knee procedures — the Ravens’ outside linebacker has been one of the best pass rushers in the NFL this preseason with one sack and five quarterback hurries. McPhee appears to have recaptured his rookie form from 2011 when he finished second on the Ravens with six sacks.” Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jaymison Hensley points out that McPhee is in the final year of his rookie deal, meaning the Ravens should benefit from healthy, motivated player seeking a contract extension.

Here’s a roundup of more links from around the AFC:

T.J. Graham is the Bills’ top “bubble” player, says ESPN’s Mike Rodak: “With six receivers already considered locks for the 53-man roster, Graham might need an injury to make the cut. However, he can make a strong push for a job with another team with a good outing Saturday. Graham saw more time with the first-team offense as training camp progressed, and with Sammy Watkins not expected to play Saturday, Graham should have chances to catch passes from starting quarterback EJ Manuel. The Bills will need to make a decision on Graham shortly after Saturday’s game. Would they release him early and allow him time to catch on elsewhere? Or do they hold onto him and try to get him back on their practice squad, now that he is eligible under the NFL’s new rules?”
With Donald Stephenson facing a four-game suspension and Joe Mays injured, the competition for replacement snaps at right tackle and inside linebacker is something to watch in the Chiefs’ third preseason game, writes Terez Paylor in the KC Star.
The Broncos are in need of a punt returner following the torn ACL suffered by Jordan Norwood. Isaiah Burse will get the first chance to claim the role, according to an AP story.
The Jaguars used a pair of second-round picks on receivers, but undrafted free agent Allen Hurns has been the best rookie in camp, writes Hays Carlyon in the Florida Times-Union: “The question now isn’t if Hurns makes the 53-man roster. He’s a virtual lock, a difficult position for an undrafted rookie to work his way to after three games. . . Hurns has put himself in position to perhaps start opposite Cecil Shorts when the Jaguars open the regular season at Philadelphia on Sept. 7.”
Jace Amaro is impressing Rex Ryan. Speaking about the rookie tight end, Ryan told the New York Post’s Brian Costello, “I told you guys he reminds me of [Mike] Ditka the more I see him. The kid gets better and better and better. That’s the thing you love about this guy.” Amaro had four catches and a touchdown last night against the Giants.
Raiders outside linebacker Khalil Mack looked worthy of the No. 5 overall selection last night, according to Marcus Thompson II of the San Jose Mercury-News.
Raiders running back Kory Sheets (Achilles) is out for the season. Sheets broke the news himself via Twitter. As a result, Latavius Murray will begin the season as the team’s primary kick returner.
A pair of young veterans — Dontay Moch and Orson Charles — could be candidates for the Bengals’ practice squad, speculates ESPN’s Cole Harvey, who says “coaches have grown tired of the Charles experiment and are all-in on undrafted rookie free agent Ryan Hewitt.”

Poll: Which Rookie WR Will Have Best Season?

August 21st, 2014 at 6:22pm CST by Zachary Links

They say there are some things you can’t teach in sports. One of them is size. Another is the ability to make a jaw-dropping one-handed catch after tripping just one second prior. Bills rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkins is lacking in the first department but he’s got the latter down pat.

With top-level speed, excellent agility, and soft hands, Watkins was almost universally regarded as the top WR talent in the 2014 class. So, he’s a lock to win this poll, right? Maybe not. Second-year quarterback EJ Manuel boasts a strong arm but he’s far from elite and one has to wonder how many quality balls he can deliver to Manuel. The Clemson product is also working through a rib injury which could possibly hamper him to start the season.

Moving further down the draft board, there are plenty of other wide receivers with an opportunity to make a name for themselves in year one. The Panthers overhauled their entire receiving corps this offseason and many are expecting big things out of FSU’s Kelvin Benjamin. In New Orleans, many are skeptical of what the once solid Marques Colston can do and the hype around Brandin Cooks is reaching a fever pitch. And, without DeSean Jackson, Jordan Matthews could see a lot of balls thrown his way in Philadelphia. Beyond those guys, there are even more promising WR’s from this year’s receiver-heavy draft. Who among them will have the best 2014 season?