Patriots to Re-Sign TE Ben Watson After Surprise Release Last Week
By Chris Pyo
Veteran tight end Benjamin Watson was surprisingly released by the New England Patriots last week despite being eligible for activation from his four-game suspension.
Well, his time off the roster was short-lived, as following the season-ending injury to Jakob Johnson, the Pats have re-signed Watson.
The Patriots are expected to re-sign veteran TE Benjamin Watson, per source. He was released last week, but should be back in the fold to help a position that could use the depth.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 14, 2019
Watson had originally announced his retirement after playing 15 seasons in the NFL earlier in 2019, however, after Rob Gronkowski's earlier-than-anticipated retirement, the Patriots were looking for some depth at the tight end position, and they locked up Watson to a one-year deal.
The God of victory is also God in failure. I gave my all, but it was not enough to earn a spot on the @Patriots roster. I’m beyond disappointed but even more upset for my family who has supported me with all the love a husband and father could ask for.They are my heroes. Rom 8:28
— Benjamin Watson (@BenjaminSWatson) October 7, 2019
Watson then failed a performance enhancing drug test after he tested positive for a supplement that was prescribed to him during his short retirement, and he was suspended for the first four games of the 2019 NFL season.
The 38-year-old also suffered a concussion in the preseason after being on the receiving end of a dirty hit from Panthers' Eric Reid.
Per @FieldYates, the Patriots are expected to re-sign veteran TE Benjamin Watson. When the Patriots released Watson last Monday, Bill Belichick said they didn't have a roster spot for him. Some injuries have now altered the picture.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) October 14, 2019
Watson will hopefully be able to provide the boost the Patriots had initially anticipated when inking him to a deal. The Pats have utilized Matt LaCosse and Ryan Izzo as the top two tight ends on the roster, so having Watson back in the fold could be a blessing.
LaCosse exited Thursday's game with a knee injury and is considered questionable for the team's Week 7 tilt with the Jets, so re-signing Watson makes a ton of sense here.