Kansas City Chiefs reportedly re-sign wide receiver Justin Watson to 2-year contract
The Kansas City Chiefs are keeping one of their free agent wide receivers in the fold, reportedly agreeing to a new two-year contract with Justin Watson.
Watson’s agency, JL Sports, initially reported the signing on Friday morning.
According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the deal is worth at least $3.5 million with a maximum value of $6 million, and $1.4 million is guaranteed. With incentives, this contract could net Watson more money than his entire career earnings entering this offseason.
A five-year veteran and a former fifth-round pick out of Penn by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Watson posted career-best numbers across the board last season in his first year with the Chiefs. He tied his career high with 15 receptions, adding 315 yards and two touchdowns. His speed became an asset for Kansas City in particular, to the point where it took quarterback Patrick Mahomes by surprise.
“I was, like, ‘Wait, how fast is this guy?’” Mahomes said last year after the Chiefs initially signed Watson. “He was running so fast that I was late on my throws.”
Watson also caught two passes in Kansas City’s Super Bowl LVII victory.
This is the second wide receiver signing in as many weeks for the Chiefs. News broke last Friday that they agreed to a one-year deal with Richie James, an acquisition they made official earlier this week.
Watson and James join a wide receivers room in Kansas City that already comprises Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney, all of whom were major contributors in the Super Bowl. Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Justyn Ross, John Ross and Cornell Powell are all on the Chiefs’ current roster as well with a chance to compete for playing time. The Chiefs are also expected to be interested in taking a pass catcher at some point in the NFL draft later this month.
