The Baltimore Ravens are bringing back a familiar face to their offense.
On Tuesday, the Ravens announced that they have claimed veteran wide receiver Sammy Watkins off of waivers from the Green Bay Packers.
Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Ravens also placed wide receiver Devin Duvernay (foot) on the injured reserve, meaning he’s out the final three regular season games and at least the team’s first playoff game, should Baltimore qualify.
Watkins, the No. 4 selection of the 2014 NFL Draft, joined the Ravens on a one-year contract in 2021 free agency. In nine games, the speedster caught 27 passes for 394 yards and one touchdown.
The Packers signed Watkins in free agency in the offseason, but injuries limited him to nine game appearances with the franchise. As a Packer, Watkins caught 13 passes for 206 yards without recording a touchdown.
Baltimore’s pass-catching unit has been hit hard by injuries in 2022. Star tight end Mark Andrews missed most of the team’s Week 8 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a shoulder injury, and he was sidelined for their Week 9 game against the New Orleans Saints.
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2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman is out for the season after undergoing foot surgery. He was limited to six game appearances before undergoing the procedure.
Andrews leads the Ravens with 702 receiving yards, and Demarcus Robinson is a distant second with 419. It’s clear that the Ravens will need all the receiving help they can get in a playoff push, so bringing back a familiar friend in Watson is a low-risk and potentially high-reward move.
The Ravens have played their last two games without superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson, who continues to nurse a knee injury. There is hope that the 2019 league MVP will return for the team’s Week 16 home game against the Atlanta Falcons.
