Green Bay Packers release South Fort Myers’ Sammy Watkins after 13 catches in 9 games

The Packers released veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins on Monday prior to their kickoff against the Los Angeles Rams.

Watkins, who signed a one-year deal to join the Packers, caught 13 passes for 206 yards and zero touchdowns over nine games in 2022. The veteran played 11 total snaps over the last two games and hasn’t caught a pass since Week 10.

Rookie Christian Watkins has emerged as a top playmaker, scoring eight touchdowns over the past four games, and rookie Romeo Doubs is returning from a four-game injury absence. With Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb also factoring in, the Packers just don’t have any snaps available.

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The South Fort Myers High grad signed a heavily incentivized contract this spring that included built-in payments for catches, yards, touchdowns, and snaps. The one-year, $1.85 million contract included a $1.12 million base salary, $330,000 in per-game bonuses ($19,411 per game), and a $50,000 workout bonus. Only the $350,000 signing bonus was guaranteed.

Watkins made the 53-man roster out of camp, but a hamstring injury Week 2 derailed his season. Watkins, 29, missed four games while on injured reserve during the first half of the season. He caught a pass in just six games and only once (Week 2 vs. Bears) went over 50 receiving yards. Watkins had three catches for 93 yards in that first matchup against the Bears, including a 55-yard catch that stood as the longest in this Packers season until Watson’s 58-yard touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 10.

Against the Bears in Week 13, Watkins played only seven snaps and wasn’t targeted. He also wasn’t targeted in Week 12 while playing just four snaps.

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In his first eight NFL seasons with the Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens, Watkins had 348 catches for 5,059 yards (14.5 average) and 34 touchdowns, including 27 catches on 49 targets for 394 yards and a touchdown over 13 games last season with Baltimore.

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Plagued by injuries, he hasn’t eclipsed 40 catches over 500 receiving yards since the 2019 season. He’s missed at least two games in seven of his nine NFL seasons and missed 17 games with thigh, calf, hamstring, and foot injuries over the previous four years.

Watkins will go on waivers and can be claimed by any team on Tuesday.

− Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Gazette contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Sammy Watkins released by Packers before Monday night game vs. Rams