My estimation: 4 years/$58 million/$30 guaranteed (Davante Adams' contract)
Adipost wrote: X WIDE RECEIVER
Sammy Watkins - Free Agent
The X receiver, or split end, is the WR lined up wide opposite of the TE. In a 3 wr set, he’s usually all alone on his side of the field, the weak side. Because of this, he has to be an exceptional blocker in the running game.
After the 5 offensive lineman and the TE, the X WR is usually the 7th player to lineup directly on the line of scrimmage. Because of this, the CB can easily slow him down or redirect his route by jamming him at the snap of the ball. To consistently break a jam at the LOS, a WR either has to be extremely powerful (Julio Jones), exceptionally slippery (Odell Beckham), or have elite footwork (Antonio Brown). Well, Sammy Watkins has some of all of the above.
Watkins is a physical freak. He’s a physically huge WR with track speed. He’s pretty much the perfect X receiver. He has an incredible first step off the LOS, powerful hands to disengage CB’s and catch passes, and the footwork to break away from coverage.
When healthy, Watkins is unstoppable. Unfortunately, he seems to be injured often. But by no means is he soft. He actually plays through injuries, but he is no where near as effective. This is the sole reason he is going to be able to hit free agency.
I think Ryan Pace will single out going after Sammy Watkins. Why, you might ask. Well, it’s because Sammy Watkins is basically a better version of Kevin White. This might sound like a ridiculous reason, but Pace must have been in love with Kevin White’s skill set to draft him #7 overall. And Watkins was the same type of player coming out of college.
The film on Watkins
New Orleans tried to play press man coverage on Watkins, and it didn’t work very well. The CB here is totally overmatched...
https://gfycat.com/gifs/detail/ReasonableImpureIridescentshark
Trying to out physical Sammy Watkins is like a one on one boxing match...
https://gfycat.com/gifs/detail/FriendlyOpenHen
NO tries zone coverage on Watkins with the same result. He cuts through the zone into the soft spot...
https://gfycat.com/gifs/detail/InsistentPlasticGermanspitz
Here the NY Giants CB plays 10 yards off of Watkins. The CB is positioned near the sideline to Watkins left, meaning that he will not let Watkins get to the outside and past him. If Watkins breaks in, the CB has help from the safety Landon Collins. Watkins does break in, triggering the safety to cover him. But Watkins just effortlessly blows by him for a TD...
https://gfycat.com/gifs/detail/AbsoluteEnchantedAustraliancattledog
Watkins is an immovable force...
https://gfycat.com/EnergeticSorrowfulElephant
You are not going to arm tackle Watkins in the open field...
https://gfycat.com/gifs/detail/ReadyWhoppingDeviltasmanian
Watkins can win immediately at the snap of the ball...
https://gfycat.com/gifs/detail/SpiffyVengefulGoral
The CB tries to knock Watkins off his route, but Watkins goes through him like a knife through butter...
https://gfycat.com/LeafyInsidiousAmericanbittern
Watkins almost knocks the CB on his ass at the line of scrimmage...
https://gfycat.com/gifs/detail/ComfortableMajorFieldspaniel