Can Sammy Watkins Shorten The Baltimore Ravens SB 56 Odds?

• The Baltimore Ravens signed WR Sammy Watkins to a one-year deal.
• The deal is worth up to $6 million, including incentives, with $5 million guaranteed.
• Watkins could be a big boost to an offense that lacked high quality receiving options in 2020.

LAS VEGAS - Sammy Watkins has agreed to a deal with the Baltimore Ravens, bringing much needed receiver help to the team.

Watkins has been prolific for the Kansas City Chiefs when healthy, which is a big if when it comes to Watkins.

He’s missed 26 games over his six-year NFL career and hasn’t played a full 16 game season since he was a rookie.

This risk is real for the Ravens, but it’s mitigated to some degree by the fact that he’s signing on a one year contract.

Sammy Watkins to the Ravens - 1 year 6mil (5mil fully guaranteed), per source.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 26, 2021

The contract is reportedly worth $6 million in total, with $5 million of that guaranteed to Watkins no matter how his year goes.

The Ravens were in dire need of receiver help, and Watkins himself seems excited for potential new opportunities in Baltimore.

I want to thank the ravens organization and coaches for the opportunity, I cannot wait to get started with the guys this year will be one to remember for along time..! Let’s go ravens....! 😈😈😈 #FLOCKGANG

— King me (@sammywatkins) March 27, 2021

Baltimore’s offense is famously run-first, so getting a high quality WR like Watkins that will be happy to be there is an important get.

In fact, it seems to be important enough that the Ravens’ odds to win the Super Bowl have gotten slightly shorter.

Before the Watkins signing, online sportsbooks gave the Ravens +2000 odds to win Super Bowl 56.

As of Monday, those odds are now around +1800, a relatively small difference, but a difference nonetheless.

The Ravens pass-catching woes had been well documented, and they had struggled to bring in talent given their scheme. Juju Smith-Schuster, for example, turned down what was reported to be a more valuable offer from the Ravens in order to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Watkins signing has one more unique wrinkle - Greg Roman, the current Offensive Coordinator for the Ravens.

Roman was Watkins’ OC in 2015 in Buffalo, and that season, Watkins produced over 1000 yards in the air, a career-high.

Between his history with Roman, his willingness to work within the game plan, and his excitement at being on the team, Watkins could be a great signing for the Ravens.

While a Watkins signing might not be the highest-profile one they could have made, it has a lot of upside.

NFL betting fans have taken notice, and the online sportsbooks have as well.