Report: Patriots Expected to Re-Sign TE Benjamin Watson
Last week, the New England Patriots didn't activate veteran tight end Ben Watson to their 53-man roster following his four-game suspension, which made him a free agent. On Monday, ESPN Insider Field Yates reported that the Patriots are expected to re-sign Watson.
After another game in which injuries and lackluster play surrounded the tight end position, New England is calling upon the services of the 38-year-old Watson to boost the weakest position on their roster.
It's odd that the Patriots signed Watson after deciding to not activate him last week. Maybe because of finances the Patriots decided to re-sign him at a cheaper price than they originally negotiated with him back in May, which was a one-year, $3 million deal.
Watson will likely be thrusted into a starting role in the Patriots offense right away, bumping second-year TE Ryan Izzo into a backup role. Keep an eye on Matt LaCosse's status going forward, as he was injured again in last week's game against the Giants. New England has an open roster spot for Watson because of Jakob Johnson's recent IR designation, but LaCosse's role will be significantly decreased, if not non-existent going forward.
