Player: WR Quez Watkins
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: Quez Watkins is one of several veteran wide receivers the Pittsburgh Steelers signed this offseason. They hope at least one of them steps up and claims a starting job, separating himself from the pack. Thanks in part to his sheer speed, Watkins has reportedly stood out to an extent during OTAs so far.
The Steelers traded away a starting wide receiver in Diontae Johnson. One wonders if they expected to make a bigger move to replace him by now, but either way, they haven’t. At least they haven’t done so yet, but there’s still time.
If they don’t manage to pull off some big move, then they will need in-house candidates to make up the difference. That means counting on new additions like Quez Watkins stepping up to the plate. A fifth-year player, Watkins has 1,249 career receiving yards on 98 catches for six touchdowns. He missed most of last season due to injury but is ready to go for 2024.
Watkins signed a free-agent contract for the Steelers earlier this offseason. He said recently that he saw an opportunity in Pittsburgh in the wake of the Diontae Johnson trade. Still, he has competition in Van Jefferson, Scotty Miller, Calvin Austin III, and rookie third-round pick Roman Wilson.
Of that group, Jefferson is probably the most accomplished, but not by much. Watkins might have the most potential, if only Arthur Smith and Zach Azzanni can instill a greater discipline into him. He might be his biggest enemy, with some of the laziness that seeps into his game at times. And he might want to throw a block or two here and there.
The good news for Quez Watkins is that he seems to be off to a good start. He has received positive reviews for his play during OTAs thus far. Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, in particular, has noted him multiple times.
But we’re still talking about May and early June football in shorts. Watkins isn’t even a guy who has a guaranteed roster spot. All he has coming to him is a $167,500 signing bonus, which, admittedly, is more than most make in a year. But he wants more than a signing bonus.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
