The Tampa Bay Buccaneers spent a fifth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft on wide receiver Justin Watson hoping that maybe he'd become a diamond in the rough for them. Watson never did much for the Bucs during his four years with them, however, and moved on to Kansas City when the Bucs opted not to re-sign him.
From there, Watson, who already had one Super Bowl ring due to being on the Bucs' 2020 roster, added two more to his collection during his time in Kansas City and became a reliable target for Patrick Mahomes. After three years in Kansas City, however, Watson joined the Texans this offseason but his time in Houston could end up being quite short.
Nick Caserio went to work ensuring that C.J. Stroud would have a top-notch cast to throw to, spending two early draft picks on a pair of Iowa State receivers, further burying Watson on the depth chart. Not only does the presence of Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins hurt Watson's stock but he also has John Metchie III ahead of him on the depth chart.
It sure looks like Justin Watson will have a tough time sticking around in Houston
If Watson doesn't find his way onto the Texans' 53-man roster, there could still be hope for him to land on another team's final roster. Given his chemistry with Mahomes, heading back to Kansas City could make sense for Watson. Other than that option though, if he's unable to find a spot with the Texans, his NFL career could be winding down.
Watson never did much for Tampa, only compiling 23 catches for 258 yards and two touchdowns in his four years and 40 games with the Bucs. Even when Tom Brady got to town, Watson was still unable to become much of a receiving threat with the team that drafted him.
While he did show potential during his time with the Chiefs, keeping him around clearly wasn't a big enough priority for Kansas City. Now he'll have a tough group to compete against in Houston and it wouldn't be wild to think this could be it for Justin Watson in the NFL.