March 25, 2024   2 MIN READ

Quez Heads West

Report: Former Birds WR Inks With Steelers

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In the end, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni will reunite with an old friend and say goodbye to a new one.

On Monday, four days after the Eagles signed former Colts receiver Parris Campbell to potentially play inside, former Eagles wide receiver Quez Watkins found a new home with the Steelers.

Watkins, who came out of Southern Missouri with 4.3 speed, was miscast over the past few years as an inside receiver in Sirianni’s offense.

A 2020 sixth-round pick during the Doug Pederson regime, Watkins broke out for 43 catches and 647 yards – averaging 15 yards per catch – in his second season, rotating in frequently during Sirianni’s first season as head coach.

Sirianni infamously said after the 2021 season that Watkins could be one of the better No. 2 receivers in the league, alongside DeVonta Smith.

Quez Watkins

GETTY IMAGES: Former Eagles WR Quez Watkins is signing with the Steelers.

Personnel chief Howie Roseman didn’t see it that way and traded with Tennessee for star receiver A.J. Brown, which immediately pushed Watkins into the No. 3 role and on the inside.

As a slot receiver, Watkins watched his overall production drop in 2022, as he caught 33 passes for 354 yards while his yards-per-catch average suffered a steep drop to 10.7. Sirianni still defended Watkins and singled out his OTA performance going into the 2023 season.

Last year, Watkins dealt with injuries and caught just 15 passes for 142 yards in 16 games.

With the Steelers, Watkins is more likely to compete for a backup outside receiver role behind George Pickens and another starter, with Calvin Austin III having the ability to play inside and outside.

The Eagles have used free agency to bolster their depth, adding Campbell and former Patriots and Dolphins receiver DeVante Parker. Campbell played under Sirianni from 2019-2020, when Sirianni was offensive coordinator for the Colts.

Campbell dealt with several injuries for his first three seasons with the Colts until breaking out with 63 receptions for 623 yards and three touchdowns in his fourth season, operating mostly from the slot.

Campbell signed a 1-year deal with the Giants but struggled to get on the field and finished with just 20 receptions for 104 yards.

– Geoff Mosher (@geoffmoshernfl) is co-host of the “Inside the Birds” podcast and staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com.

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