For perspective, the Detroit Lions’ Jameson Williams, who has posted similar stats to Watson to date in a similar field-stretching role, inked a three-year contract that pays him out $27.7 million in new money, more than twice what Watson will get for his extra year in Green Bay.

With the addition of Williams, there are now 24 veteran NFL receivers who are making at least $20 million per year. For perspective, there are only six wide receivers on non-rookie contracts under the age of 28 (think second-contract players) who make between $5 million and $20 million per year. Yes, the gulf is wide. Usually, this is more of the range of a declining star than the range for a young pass-catcher that a team plans to play like a number 1 or 2 receiver.

In this $5 million to $20 million range, Watson’s comparables are Jerry Jeudy, Khalil Shakir, Rashod Bateman, Tutu Atwell, Dyami Brown and Josh Palmer. Jeudy has averaged 856 yards per season over his career (excluding 2025) and was traded for a fifth- and sixth-round pick last year. Bateman is at 481. Shakir is Buffalo’s third receiver and has averaged 531 yards. Atwell has averaged 448 in his career. Brown is at 196. Palmer has posted 572.