Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
By Larry Holder, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune

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Josh Hill received almost all of the hype as the New Orleans Saints' next big thing at tight end with the trading of Jimmy Graham to Seattle.
Don't sleep on Benjamin Watson, though, at least after the third day of organized team activities.

Watson made a couple of Graham-esque receptions during Thursday's session, drawing the praise of Drew Brees.

The 34-year-old tight end's first catch occurred in team drills when he ran a seam route and hauled in a deep pass in traffic. This was more along the lines of a good throw by Brees and a nice grab by Watson.

The second noticeable reception occurred on what look like busted coverage, which drew the ire of secondary coach Wesley McGriff. Watson ran a deep post from the inside and drifted uncovered past linebacker Ramon Humber. Watson snagged the pass from Brees for what would have been about a 70-yard touchdown reception.

Here are a few more observations from Thursday's OTA session:


The Saints were running more 4-3 scheme looks Thursday and maybe that's why Galette rotated in rather than played the majority of the snaps. The thought going into this season is that Galette would be more of a pass-rush specialist.

This could mean something or this could mean nothing. But it's noteworthy.

Cam Jordan and Akiem Hicks lined up as the ends, while Lawrence Virgil and John Jenkins were the defensive tackles. Brodrick Bunkley (quad) still isn't practicing as the team eases him back into the lineup.

Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson: Larry Holder's OTA observations | NOLA.com

Watsons best years with the Pats were the years the pats had a ground and pound rushing attack way back when Tom was still cutting his teeth in the NFL

Thought the 43 bit was interesting. Cam Jordan and Akiem Hicks lined up as the ends? that is seriously setting the edge

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

No kidding. That's a nasty front 4.

Who were the 3 LBs?

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

Pretty obvious that SP was high on Hill & Watson, which made the trade a little more palatable.

I was always a JG fan, but this statement is begging for a punchline: Watson made a couple of Graham-esque receptions during Thursday's session, drawing the praise of Drew Brees.
Graham-esque? So Watson had a lot of drops? Short-armed a bunch of balls? Didn't catch them in a big game?

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

Hoping that Hill gets more playing time than Watson

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

Neither excites me at all. Watson is a serviceable vet. Hill is young and cheap. Everyone is going to have to step up in replacing Graham and Stills.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

I can't disagree more. I don't feel there will be any problem at all replacing Graham and Stills. Graham was a one dimensional player who was routinely rotated out of the lineup on running plays because of his inadequate blocking skills. Yes, Graham is a talented pass catcher, but was made to look much better because of who was delivering the ball. I expect Watson and Hill to make up for most of Graham's missing production while making the offense far more difficult to anticipate because of their blocking skills. That lack of predictability should result in a far more effective offense. And like the title of this thread states, don't sleep on Watson. He has been vastly underutilized by the Saints due to Graham's presence.

Stills is a case of pure addition by subtraction. He was becoming, or had already become, a distraction in the locker room. Brees is good enough to make any one of his WR's into Stills' production replacement.

I fully expect the offense to be much better as a whole especially with the additions of Andrus Peat and Max Unger and a healthy Jahri Evans giving Brees a great deal better protection than he was warranted the last couple of years.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

WHEN WATSON IS ON HE IS ONE OF THE BEST.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

Let's pump the brakes on Watson... He was pretty quickly passed up by Hill last season as a receiving threat. He's not a starter that poses any real challenge as a receiver or blocker. Great player for depth purposes though.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

Beg to differ. He is a great receiver and a very solid blocker. I had him on a fantasy league back when he was with the Patriots, before they started truly utilizing the TE, and he was one of the best at times when used in the game plan.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

Not excited to here about the 4-3 being ran a lot.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

There were 14 TE's taken in the last 3 rounds, but we stayed put with the guys we have. We certainly had the picks available if we were interested. That's all I need know as far as how SP feels about Watson and Hill.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

i have to confess there will be time when Watson will make you throw things at your TV.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

Hey, whatever gets the job done is just fine with me.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

JG seemed to do that every other game last year.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

The problem is that now we have almost no depth at TE.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

In my opinion you are selling these guys short big time. As a receicer, I think Hill has big time potential and could end up in the pro bowl with more receptions than Graham this year. Watson can block and catch and he's been the starting TE on some prolific offenses.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

Hill had some big plays last year because he was that one guy not accounted for

With no Jimmy to draw doubles he and ben will be covered more closely

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

To be fair, the way they are setting up the line/backs; play action should be deadly. Shouldn't matter who is catching the ball, if the defense has to crowd the box.

And Hill did well when Jimmy wasn't in the game because of injuries, so I don't see why he wouldn't continue

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

Lets hope Lelito at LG performs more than adequately also.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

my dear Watson is a jewel to have on our roster. but he shows his age in todays gameplans he gets banged up a lot , is why we had 3 tight ends rotating most of the time.but if you think hes going to catch 50-60 balls is not going to happen.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

Decent all around TE, but he doesn't strike fear into anyone anymore.

In my opinion he's a B-minus TE who will occasionally make a clutch play.
I love having guys like that on the team, but they aren't difference makers.

They're simply solid role players, and nothing wrong with that. Drew and Sean will maximize his talents and match-ups.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

Losing Graham is going to hurt in the red zone.I think that Cooks will replace Stills. It is going to fall on several players to replace JG production.I am concerned that we did not thing in a big target to bolster the red zone WRs.Hopefully Coleman,or Jones are ready to step up .I have very little faith in Toon. Hill and Watson should move the chains quite well. We could struggle if Colston plays like he did last year. Joe Morgan could be useful to take the top off the D. He is the wildcard in the WR deck Spiller will be a factor in the passing game much like Bush and Sproles in the past.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

I think we can all agree that the saying "Don't sleep on...." has run it's course and needs to be retired.

Re: Don't sleep on Saints tight end Benjamin Watson
 

:lolup: