Sammy Watkins made his first appearance as a member of the Los Angeles Rams on Saturday, but not in L.A.'s preseason opener against the Cowboys. After all, he doesn't know the playbook.
As Watkins put it to reporters before the game on how he would fit with his new team, "I haven't figured that out. I don't even know the plays right now, so I'm just willing to do anything, wherever they put me at, X, Y, Z. I'm just trying to fill in the void and help this team win."
The former first-round pick was traded from the Buffalo Bills on Friday just one day after the team's first preseason game. Watkins joins former Bills teammate Robert Woods in Los Angeles, where, he said Saturday, he feels comfortable being the vertical threat the Rams have lacked in recent years.
"Most definitely. I just feel like that's in my game," Watkins said, per the Los Angeles Times' Lindsey Thiry. "I can be that home-run guy and I'm just here to help. Honestly, I think they've got what they need as far as Robert Woods and Tavon [Austin] and the guys they drafted. I'm just here to add to that and just come here to have fun and win some games."
Watkins' impact in the short-term should be immediate. The addition of a much-needed big-play wideout opens up first-year coach Sean McVay's offense that much more, helping replicate what he had in Washington last season. McVay intimated as much Friday.
But when it comes to Watkins' future with his new organization -- his rookie deal expires at the end of the season -- there are fewer expectations.
On his contract situation, Watkins said, per NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano, "If I play like I should, I'll get what I deserve."
We'll see next week how McVay and the Rams utilize Watkins in practice, alongside Woods, Austin and rookie Cooper Kupp. Until then, Los Angeles' newest acquisition should be nose deep in his playbook.
