Kansas City Chiefs sign Sammy Watkins to restructured contract

Nicholas McGee

Kansas City Chiefs sign Sammy Watkins to restructured contract image

The Kansas City Chiefs have signed wide receiver Sammy Watkins to a new one-year deal.

Watkins was not a free agent but there was speculation over his future with the team with him due to count $21million against the salary cap in the final year of his previous contract.

However, the Chiefs and Watkins have agreed to a restructure that will keep him with the Super Bowl champions while giving them a much-needed cap saving of around $5m.

Watkins, 26, can earn up to $16m in the terms of his new deal, though his base salary has been reduced from $13.75m to $9m, with $7m available to him in incentives.

He will count $16m against the cap with his new deal, a figure which also includes $7m from his original signing bonus.

Confirming the deal on Twitter, Watkins posted: "I'm back KC LETS GET IT..! #RUNITBACKTOUR".

Watkins played a crucial role in the Chiefs' Super Bowl LIV triumph last season, catching 14 of his 18 targets in the postseason for 288 yards and a touchdown.

His most important contribution came on a 38-yard catch in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, which set up Damien Williams' go-ahead touchdown in their 31-20 comeback win over the San Francisco 49ers.

 

Nicholas McGee