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9er8er
Watkins hasn't added anything any decent NFL WR couldn't have added. The "decoy' narrative doesn't hold water upon closer inspection. Their top two receivers this year, Gurley and Kupp, aren't benefiting by Watkins theoretically "drawing the other team's #1 CB" because they're not going to draw that guy anyway. And if the argument is that Woods benefited from that this season, why didn't that also hold true in previous seasons?
As it turns out, it's also not true that Watkins always drew the other team's top CB. Sometimes he did, other times he didn't. McVay's schemes are more responsible for who drew what coverage than anything else. At the end of the day, Watkins proved to be pretty much what he's always been in the NFL. Overrated and imminently replaceable.
You can believe that if you want, I'm not buying it.
I've seen enough in the games and review of stills to know he has a major impact.
It's not just about who draws the #1 CB but that is a big part of it. It's true that he didn't always draw the #1 CB but he does the vast majority of the time.
But possibly more importantly, and something you failed to mention at all, is how his presence helps free up the others. The vast majority of the time, when the safety has a choice of who to double, he chooses Watkins thus allowing Woods and Kupp to have single coverage.
To their credit they often take advantage of that and make the play but but Watkins had impact by drawing the D attention.
