3 Browns free agent options if Marquise Goodwin misses significant time

1. Sammy Watkins

Back in 2014, Sammy Watkins was a huge name in the NFL. The Buffalo Bills moved up in the draft to select the Clemson product fourth overall and he was supposed to be their new No. 1 wideout.

While he never lived up to his draft status, Watkins has put together nine solid seasons in the league and has always been known as a deep threat.

He also has ties to the team since Cleveland already added a member of the Watkins family, signing Austin Watkins just before camp. Austin is the younger cousin of former first-round pick Sammy Watkins and spent this past season with the Birmingham Stallions of the USFL.

Watkins had 16 catches for 197 yards and a touchdown before the Browns decided to bring him in. And with the connection to a former starting wideout, Brad Stainbrook of the OBR asked Sammy about possibly joining the Browns as well.

Watkins has only once topped the 1,000-yard mark in his career but he has 364 receptions for 5,384 yards and 34 touchdowns. He played for the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens in 2022, finishing with three receptions for 119 yards (39.7 yards per reception) for the Ravens.

He's clearly not the same player he once was but at 30 years of age, he's the same age as Goodwin and has the veteran leadership to go along with it.

With no one knocking down his door, it might be worth seeing what the price tag would be for Watkins if Goodwin were to miss any time. As is the case with the other options, he can stretch the field and is a far more proven player than someone such as Anthony Schwartz.