The Facts: With next week's free-agency onslaught just around the bend, teams are gearing up to recruit the biggest names on the open market. In Cincinnati, Joe Mixon is ahead of the pack. The Bengals running back made an open pitch to Watkins, asking the free-agent wideout to join him in Cincy after the Rams chose not to franchise tag the veteran pass-catcher: "I'd love to squad up and have you on the squad! Come on over to Cincy with my dawgs (A.J. Green, John Ross, Brandon LaFell and Giovani Bernard) #WhoDey"

Diehards Line:Watkins didn't shoot down the idea, tweeting back at Mixon: "You never know brother this business is crazy." As NFL.com notes, the Rams on Tuesday opted to apply the non-exclusive franchise tag on safety Lamarcus Joyner. The move left Watkins free to roam, but NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the team will be aggressive in trying to keep Watkins in Los Angeles. Remember, the Rams under GM Les Snead have operated as a wheeling-and-dealing juggernaut in the days leading up to free agency. If Watkins remains in their sights -- and, by all indications, he does -- interested suitors better find a way to outfox one of the more forward-thinking front offices league-wide.