Report: Watkins agrees to new 1-year, $9M deal with Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs reached an agreement with Sammy Watkins on a new one-year contract that will pay him a base salary of $9 million in 2020 and can reach $16 million with incentives, a source told Yahoo Sports' Terez A. Paylor.
Watkins appeared to confirm the deal Friday morning on Twitter.
Im back KC LETS GET IT..! #RUNITBACKTOUR
— King me (@sammywatkins) April 3, 2020
The wideout's new contract will save Kansas City $5 million against the cap, according to Paylor. It also includes a no-trade clause, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.
Heading into this offseason, Watkins had one non-guaranteed year remaining on his previous deal worth $14 million, so rumors quickly surfaced that the Chiefs could release him to create cap space. The former fourth overall pick signed a three-year pact in 2018 worth $48 million with $30 million guaranteed.
The 26-year-old struggled to consistently make an impact during the 2019 regular season - catching 52 passes for 673 yards and three touchdowns - but put in strong performances during Kansas City's run to the Super Bowl.
Watkins will now stay with superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes and a group of dynamic receivers that includes Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, and recently-re-signed Demarcus Robinson.