It's been a whirlwind few days for new Rams wide receiver Sammy Watkins.
He made his preseason debut for the Bills on Thursday night, playing the entire first quarter and making four receptions for 39 yards. By lunchtime the next day in Buffalo, he'd been traded to Los Angeles. By Saturday afternoon, he'd arrived in Los Angeles, in time to watch the Rams' preseason matchup with the Cowboys.
Watkins had barely had time to meet his new teammates and coaches before speaking with the media 90 minutes before Saturday's kickoff against the Cowboys, but nevertheless expressed his excitement to be a Ram.
"I can't wait to get on the field and figure those guys out — they'll learn my speed, I'll learn the way they throw. And, really, just learn the offense — that's the biggest thing," Watkins said.
In fact, Watkins admitted he wasn't quite sure of the Rams' plans for him as of yet.
"I don't even know the offensive plays right now, so I'm just willing to do anything," Watkins said. "Wherever they put me — X, Y, Z — I'm just trying to fill in the void and help this team win."
On Friday, general manager Les Snead and head coach Sean McVay both expressed that Watkins can be a vertical threat. The wideout's size — he's listed at 6-foot-1, 211 pounds — and speed make him ideally suited to the role. Watkins said Saturday he "most definitely" feels he can provide that element in Los Angeles' offense.
"I can do that — [and be] that home run guy," Watkins said. "I'm just here to help, honestly. I think they've got what they need as far as Robert Woods, Tavon [Austin], the guys they've drafted. I'm just here to add to that and just come here and have fun, and win some games."
As for Watkins' health — he missed eight games in 2016 with a foot injury and had offseason surgery to repair it — the wide receiver said he's "100 percent healthy." He's been fully participating in practice without a day off through the first couple weeks of camp.
"The foot thing is out the door," Watkins said. "Probably have to get in a little bit better shape, but other than that I'm fine."
Still, the wide receiver is in the final year of his contract, after Buffalo declined to exercise his fifth-year option. He said that didn't affect his mindset with the Bills, and it shouldn't with the Rams.
"I was just trying to come on the field and have a Pro Bowl year, try to put up the numbers that I needed to help the team win," Watkins said. "But I'm not focused on contracts or whatever like that. I feel like if I go on the field, play like I should, I'll get what I deserve.
"I've got to handle my business and control what I can control and that's my play on the field. If I go out there and have a year that I'm expecting to have, then we can talk contract," Watkins added. "But I've still got to go out here and do my job, and let those guys handle paperwork, contracts, numbers."
For now, Watkins seems ready to get going in Los Angeles — he mentioned the region's weather and the ability to play on grass for home games after playing on turf in Buffalo.
"It's a great feeling just to be here," Watkins said. "And I'm excited to get started."
