Buffalo Bills: The potential of a Sammy Watkins return in 2018

The Buffalo Bills could use an upgrade at the wide receiver position in 2018 and a familiar face stands out as a potential player to target in free agency.

Sammy Watkins was never the star receiver Buffalo Bills fans were hoping for, but he was no slouch either.

Watkins battled through injuries during his first three years in Buffalo, appearing in 37 games and hauling in a total of 17 touchdowns in that span.

Him being shipped out to Los Angeles this past year was a bit of a surprise, and another surprise could be in store for Bills fans this offseason. An offseason in which Watkins is a free agent.

The Rams may consider a long-term deal for the receiver to be too risky given his injuries, leaving the franchise tag as a potential option. Maybe.

As Mike Garafolo states, Lamarcus Joyner may be a higher priority for the Rams ahead of Watkins, making it possible that the receiver hits the open market. That doesn’t prevent him from returning to Los Angeles, but it does allow other teams to make their pitch and sweeten the deal.

The Bills could be one of those teams, with the easy sell being Watkins’ history with the team. It wouldn’t hurt to at least take a meeting, and Watkins can show that a year away has improved his maturity. That seemed to be evident in an ESPN article from October in which Watkins explains how he used to complain to the media about a lack of targets and overall attention on offense. That changed in Los Angeles and could lead to a reunion in Buffalo.

This possibility won’t become realistic until after the franchise tag deadline in two weeks, but right now there is no reason why the Bills shouldn’t at least consider the possibility. Jarvis Landry being off the market leaves Watkins and Allen Robinson as the best options, and Watkins could easily be swayed to come to the Bills after starting his career there. He would be a great complement to Kelvin Benjamin and the two could form a dominant duo. As long as they stay healthy.

If you need any evidence to support a conspiracy theory that Watkins spent a year in Los Angeles to help improve the Bills, only to ultimately return, just look at his Twitter avatar.

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There he is in a Bills jersey. In the year 2018. Must mean a comeback is in store.