In his debut with the Pittsburgh Steelers Friday night in the preseason opener at Acrisure Stadium against the Houston Texans, things did not go well for Quez Watkins.
Watkins called fair catch with 15 yards of space on his first punt return. He got worse after that, muffing a punt leading to a touchdown for the Texans.
That mistake on Friday night against the Texans amplified what has been a rather quiet and uninspiring training camp for the veteran wide receiver.
After the mistake on Friday night, Watkins bounced back Sunday with a strong day at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe at training camp. He hauled in a deep ball from quarterback Justin Fields for an explosive play and caught a touchdown pass from Fields in the two-minute drill, capping an important practice for the veteran.
Following practice, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was blunt in his assessment of Watkins’ practice showing.
“He needed a day today,” Tomlin said, according to video via Steelers.com.
That’s simply put from Tomlin, and it’s accurate.
After the disastrous showing Friday night, Watkins found himself on the wrong side of the bubble for the Steelers when it comes to earning a 53-man roster spot.
Watkins was signed to a one-year deal in free agency, coming over to the other side of the Commonwealth after four seasons in Philadelphia. The Eagles selected him in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, with current Steelers assistant GM Andy Weidl playing a key role in drafting him.
During his time in Philadelphia, Watkins started 25 games, including 12 in 2021. He hauled in 98 receptions for 1,249 yards and six touchdowns during his time with the Eagles.
Coming to the Steelers, Watkins’ speed and big-play abilities were much needed in the wide receiver room, especially after trading Diontae Johnson, but the veteran receiver hasn’t had the impact to date that was expected. His poor performance on Friday against the Texans seemingly has him on the outside looking in.
Tomlin’s comment about him needing a day is important. Watkins needs to be feeling the pressure.
With a strong day on Sunday, we’ll see if he can start to stack them to get back on track.
