Sammy Watkins can't catch a break. The wide receiver battled back from a broken left foot to play in the Bills' final six games of the season, but he isn't done dealing with that injury.
Citing two sources, the Buffalo News' Tim Graham reported Monday that Watkins will need to undergo another surgical procedure on that foot.
Watkins' foot issues began in the offseason when he broke his foot and had surgery to repair it, which was reported in May. He recovered in time for the regular season but was shut down in September. He returned in late November, but eclipsed 100 yards in only one game. It's worth noting that Bills offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn revealed in early December that Watkins was playing despite a broken bone. So, pain tolerance appeared to be the biggest issue.
Watkins ended up finishing his injury-filled season with 28 receptions, 430 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. So, no, he's still yet to live up to the hype that surrounded him when the Bills traded up to draft him No. 4 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Much of that, of course, has to do with his health and his usage. Watkins has played in 37 games in his three-year career and he's been targeted 7.4 times per game. Last year, Rex Ryan admitted that his offense needed to do a better job featuring Watkins and when they finally began targeting him more frequently, Watkins' numbers skyrocketed.
His numbers over the final six games of the 2015 season -- 35 receptions, 19.4 yards per catch, and six touchdowns -- gave the Bills hope that he was poised to turn into a star in his third year. But because of his injury issues, he didn't really get a chance to do that.
Luckily for Watkins, he has a better chance to be healthy by the time the Bills' offseason program begins this time around.
