In what was the most surprising move of the offseason, Sammy Watkins was traded from the Bills to the Rams for E.J. Gaines and a second-round pick. It was a risky deal for the Rams, acquiring an injury-prone wide receiver in the last year of his rookie contract.

It’s still unclear if the trade has paid off after 12 games, but despite having lackluster numbers, Watkins has changed the look of L.A.’s offense by adding an element of speed and explosiveness.

He’s a player that teams are constantly worried about beating them deep, which allows other receivers to get open underneath. His presence is part of the reason the Rams are 9-3 and just one game out of the No. 1 seed in the NFC, even if it may not seem that way.

After Sunday’s win over the Cardinals, Watkins discussed the trade and how fortunate he is to be in L.A.

Watkins had just one winning season in his career prior to 2017, and that was three years ago as a rookie. The Bills won nine games in 2014, but their wins decreased in each of the next two seasons.

Watkins is back on a winning team again, and he’s grateful for that opportunity. The Rams need just one more win to eclipse Watkins’ best season in the NFL, which is likely to happen in the next four weeks.