Benjamin Watson = great Patriots addition
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Can we take a second to talk about how great of a move it was to bring Benjamin Watson back to the New England Patriots?
Some people might not like the move--citing his age, his stats or the fact that he was ready to retire following this season. Nah. Forget all of that noise. This was a good signing for a team in need of a tight end. Let's take a look at why this is the case.
The Patriots obviously had a need a tight end now that Rob Gronkowski, one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history, is retired. So why not go into the Patriots book of legends and grab a guy who is familiar with the system (not to mention very likeable).
Watson played for the Patriots from 2004 to 2009 which means he is not only familiar with the system, but also has a Super Bowl ring with the team (and a pair of Super Bowl appearances).
The deal itself is quite team friendly at one year and $3 million. The team should be able to get their money's worth in terms of production out of him.
As a member of the New Orleans Saints over the past two seasons, Watson caught 96 of the 125 throws intended for him during the regular season. That's an insanely high 76.8 percent catch rate. Granted, Drew Brees is the Saints quarterback, but Tom Brady is the Patriots quarterback--so yeah...
Last year, Watson made 35 catches for 400 yards and two touchdowns. Since he is an efficient player and the tight end position is up for grabs (and Watson is a solid blocker, if I recall correctly), he should get more reps here--and have even better stats if that is the case.
To sum it up: good signing. Nice job, Patriots.