In shadow of NBA megadeals, Sammy Watkins hopes NFL players can cash in

ByMIKE RODAK
July 12, 2017, 7:46 PM

— -- After the first day of NBA free agency Saturday resulted in some players agreeing to contracts in excess of $100 million, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Sammy Watkins took to Twitter on Sunday to promote NFL players getting bigger paydays.

Watkins, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2014 draft, also retweeted NFL player promoter Jake Steinberg, who wrote, "NFL players have the right to be pissed. They get the smallest piece of the pie. NFL has $12B in annual revenue; NBA has $5B."

In May, the Bills declined Watkins' fifth-year option for 2018 that would have paid their top receiver $13.3 million. Watkins is now scheduled for unrestricted free agency after the 2017 season.

Over his four-year rookie contract, Watkins will earn $19.9 million, all of which was fully guaranteed.

Watkins resumed practicing during minicamp last month after missing the majority of offseason workouts while recovering from January foot surgery. He missed eight games last season because of the foot injury and was hampered by other injuries over his first two seasons.