Player News
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The Steelers signed Watkins to the practice squad Friday. Watkins wasn't able to make Pittsburgh's 53-man roster in a depth wide receiver role, but he'll stick around on the practice squad. The Steelers have just five wide receivers on the active roster, and with third-round rookie Roman Wilson nursing an ankle injury, Watkins has a chance of being elevated for Week 1 against the Falcons.
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The Steelers released Watkins on Tuesday. It's not a great sign for his career prospects that he couldn't win a roster spot with one of the most WR-needy teams in the league. Watkins spent much of the past four years as Philadelphia's No. 3 receiver, but it was never a high-volume role and he maxed out at 62 targets in 2021.
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Watkins failed to secure his lone target while rushing once for six yards during Saturday's 9-3 preseason loss to the Bills. Watkins was on the field for 53 percent of the Steelers' offensive snaps Saturday, but he didn't see many touches during the low-scoring loss. He didn't have any offensive touches during last weekend's preseason opener, and he could have to put together a productive outing during next Saturday's preseason finale against Detroit to bolster his case for a spot on the 53-man roster.
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Watkins is signing with the Steelers, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports. A 2020 sixth-round pick, Watkins made 25 starts for Philadelphia over the past four seasons but never saw more than 62 targets in a year. His 4.35 speed is his best trait, and he'll now join a Steelers team with only George Pickens entrenched as a starting wide receiver. Pittsburgh's other options at the position include Van Jefferson, Calvin Austin, Denzel Mims and Marquez Callaway, with more help possibly coming during the 2024 NFL Draft.
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Watkins finished the 2023 regular season with 15 catches for 142 yards and one touchdown. Watkins averaged 38 catches for 501 yards over the previous two seasons, so his 2023 campaign counts as a clear disappointment. Hamstring issues limited him to nine games, but he also faced new competition from Olamide Zaccheaus and Julio Jones, which cut into a target share which was always going to be modest with A.J. Brown (knee) and DeVonta Smith on the roster.
Recent Tweets
Completed Games
Scheduled Games
| WK | DATE | OPP | OPP RANK | OPP FPTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 11/10 | @Washington | 25 | 21.25 |
| 11 | 11/17 | Baltimore | 32 | 29.50 |
| 12 | 11/21 | @Cleveland | 28 | 24.00 |
| 13 | 12/01 | @Cincinnati | 11 | 18.75 |
| 14 | 12/08 | Cleveland | 28 | 24.00 |
| 15 | 12/15 | @Philadelphia | 26 | 21.71 |
| 16 | 12/21 | @Baltimore | 32 | 29.50 |
| 17 | 12/25 | Kansas City | 7 | 16.00 |
| 18 | 01/05 | Cincinnati | 11 | 18.75 |
Team Trends
Career Stats
| Season | Tar | Recpt | ReYd | ReTD | ReFD | ReAvg | FPTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023 | 21 | 15 | 142 | 1 | 8 | 9.47 | 18 |
| 2022 | 51 | 33 | 354 | 3 | 13 | 10.73 | 45 |
| 2021 | 62 | 43 | 647 | 1 | 25 | 15.05 | 65 |
| 2020 | 13 | 7 | 106 | 1 | 4 | 15.14 | 15 |
| 2019 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 Year Avg | 45 | 30 | 381 | 2 | 15 | 12.70 | 42 |
| Career | 147 | 98 | 1249 | 6 | 50 | 12.74 |