GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — The Green Bay Packers have released veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins in advance of their Monday night game with the Los Angeles Rams.
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Watkins had 13 receptions for 206 yards and no touchdowns in his lone season with the Packers. He hadn’t caught a single pass since Nov. 13, when he had three receptions for 47 yards in a 31-28 overtime victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Green Bay also signed running back Patrick Taylor to the active roster from their practice squad on Monday.
The Packers (5-8) signed Watkins in the offseason as they attempted to restock at the receiver position following the trade of two-time All-Pro wideout Davante Adams to the Las Vegas Raiders. Watkins, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2014 draft, had played for the Los Angeles Rams in 2017 when Packers coach Matt LaFleur was that team’s offensive coordinator.
Watkins, 29, caught three passes for 93 yards in a Sept. 18 victory over the Chicago Bears. But he missed the Packers’ next four games with a hamstring injury and hasn’t been productive since coming back.
In seven games since his return, Watkins has totaled seven catches for 95 yards. He hadn’t caught any passes in Green Bay’s past three games and played a total of 11 snaps on offense over the Packers’ past two games.
Injuries have limited Watkins’ effectiveness since his career got off to a promising start.
Watkins caught 65 passes for 982 yards and six touchdowns as a rookie, and he followed that up with 60 receptions for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns in 2015.
But he has exceeded 600 yards receiving just once in the seven seasons since. He hasn’t caught more than three touchdown passes in a season since 2017.
TOP PHOTO: FILE – Green Bay Packers wide receiver Sammy Watkins (11) catches a long pass against the Chicago Bears during an NFL game Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, in Green Bay, Wis. Watkins is the Packers’ leading receiver and caught three passes for 93 yards in a Sunday night victory over the Chicago Bears. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps, File)