The Kansas City Chiefs have already spoken about the possibility of parting ways with Sammy Watkins. On the other hand, Brett Veach —the Chiefs GM — believes the team can work something out with Watkins. Despite the obstacles, Kansas City plans to bring back Watkins next season.
“We’ll sit down and talk about the landscape of where we are and what would make sense to us and how we can make this work and we’ll get feedback from them in regards to what they’re looking for and hopefully we can bridge a gap and make something happen,” Veach said, via Adam Teicher of ESPN.com.
Prior to the Super Bowl, Watkins mentioned that the Chiefs could ask him to take a pay cut in 2020. Now, after winning the Super Bowl, Kansas City needs to decide on whether or not to retain Watkins.
Back in 2018, the Chiefs signed Watkins to a three-year, $48 million contract. As he prepares to enter the final year of his contract, the former first-round pick is set to be a $21 million cap hit next season.
Despite being one of the highest-paid receivers in the NFL, Watkins didn't produce worthy numbers in 2019. After a remarkable outing in Week 1, Watkins ended the season with only 52 receptions, 673 yards, and three touchdowns.
In the event that the Chiefs release Watkins, they could create $14 million in cap savings. At the same time, they would induce a $7 million dead-cap penalty.
If Kansas City chooses to retain Watkins, it would have to come by way of a new team-friendly deal. However, it is unclear if Watkins would truly consider taking less money to remain with the reigning Super Bowl champions.
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