Who Should I Start? Dante Pettis or Jordan Watkins

Tuesday, March 11, 4:51 PM

The New Orleans Saints agreed to terms on an undisclosed one-year deal to re-sign wide receiver Dante Pettis on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Pettis began the 2024 season with the Chicago Bears before being released in September with an injury settlement. He eventually latched onto the Saints' practice squad before becoming a part of their offense late in the season. The 29-year-old finished his sixth year in the NFL with 12 receptions on 28 targets for just 120 yards and one touchdown in eight starts. The former second-round pick (44th overall) by the San Francisco 49ers in 2018 out of the University of Washington had his best season in his rookie year, when he had 27 catches for 467 yards and five touchdowns on 45 targets in 12 games (seven starts). Pettis will look for a bigger role in his first full season in New Orleans but will most likely have a small role behind Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed.

Friday, June 13, 12:31 PM

San Francisco 49ers rookie fourth-round wide receiver Jordan Watkins hasn't been perfect in offseason workouts this spring, but The Athletic's Matt Barrows writes that he has stood out in the way that Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) did a year ago. He took a number of snaps with the first-team offense with Pearsall, Brandon Aiyuk (knee) and Jauan Jennings (calf) sidelined, showcasing his speed and fluidity in routes. Watkins doesn't break stride when catching the ball, which makes him an asset on crossing routes that are such a big part of head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense. The 23-year-old also has thick legs and a big lower body, which should help him break tackles and pick up yards after the catch. Watkins had nine total touchdowns at Ole Miss in 2024, and while he probably won't get on the field much in his rookie season, he could be an immediate factor on special teams.