Re: Patriots Will Not Activate Benjamin Watson, Veteran TE is Now a Free Agent
 

Or maybe the Pats are clearing space for an upcoming trade ... you know guys like Diggs, Green or Emmanuel Sanders. AB is no longer on the team and Josh Gordon isn't healthy.

Re: Patriots Will Not Activate Benjamin Watson, Veteran TE is Now a Free Agent
 

That's very possible, they saved $2 million.

This team only has two substandard TEs on the roster, so it's definitely a head scratching decision.

It also appears it totally blindsided Watson as he seems devastated.

Re: Patriots Will Not Activate Benjamin Watson, Veteran TE is Now a Free Agent
 

Well.. he's still nation making. So he probably needs the $.

Re: Patriots Will Not Activate Benjamin Watson, Veteran TE is Now a Free Agent
 

I would keep Watson on speed dial in case of injury, but right now if another TE is needed I would like to see Dan Arnold get his chance.

Re: Patriots Will Not Activate Benjamin Watson, Veteran TE is Now a Free Agent
 

Watson would be a temp band-aid at best and its very difficult to move a team forward when you keep bringing back the past to get you through a dry spell.

Re: Patriots Will Not Activate Benjamin Watson, Veteran TE is Now a Free Agent
 

I get it (temporary fix) but what do you do to offset the lack of production from guys not named MT & Kamara? Cook has turned out to be meh in NO ...

Tre is just returning from injury, Kirkwood is on IR and Carr is just out there taking up a roster spot.

Would it hurt to bring Watson in for a look and demote Carr or Humphrey back to the practice squad?

IMO we need another savvy vet (Diggs, E Sanders or player X) down the road. At some point this season or in the playoffs, a good DC will take away our main guy.

Re: Patriots Will Not Activate Benjamin Watson, Veteran TE is Now a Free Agent
 

Definitely keep his number on speed dial, and make the call this week to offer him condolences and say hello and check in with him, but I don't think it's time to put the offer out there for him RIGHT NOW. But I could easily see him coming back in, for like a Mike McKenzie type cameo, remember when Payton brought Mike back for a few games late in the year in '09 when we had injury problems at his position area, and Mike was a perfect stopgap fit for a couple of games.

Not a tight end of course, but I still kinda think Dez Bryant is definitely on the Payton radar as a possible wild card roster move late in the season, to get some receiving alternatives to the Thomas and Kamara show. That still might happen.

Re: Patriots Will Not Activate Benjamin Watson, Veteran TE is Now a Free Agent
 

Speed dial if Cook goes down. Other than that, pass.

Re: Patriots Will Not Activate Benjamin Watson, Veteran TE is Now a Free Agent
 

That's not the same Watson we have known it seems. Concussion in preseason and while the PED's have been explained away as "fertility drugs" those players know what is going into their bodies and have every possible available resource to not make the wrong decision.

Watson went 4/6 40 yards and a TD.. Up until Sunday no receivers were meeting anyone's production expectations.

I am cautiously optimistic for what ever it is worth.

Re: Patriots Will Not Activate Benjamin Watson, Veteran TE is Now a Free Agent
 

Watson purposely took a legitimate medication, prescribed by HIS doctor, that he knew was on the NFL's banned list. He had already retired and was no longer planning to play again at the time. Later he decided that he would take the Patriots up on their offer and informed them that he had taken the medication and why. Both sides went into it knowing that a suspension would be coming. There was nothing nefarious involved. And it definitely wasn't a fertility drug they way they've been pumping out kids.

:D