The New England Patriots just might be able find gains in a less-than-ideal situation.
Benjamin Watson’s second stint with the Patriots will begin with a four-game suspension. The veteran tight end over the weekend announced he tested positive for a drug he was prescribed during his brief retirement and that he will not appeal the punishment.
Many believed Watson was in line to be New England’s No. 1 tight end from the get-go given the team’s mediocre depth chart at the position. While the Patriots now will be tasked with starting the season without the 38-year-old, former New York Jets and Miami Dolphins executive Mike Tannenbaum believes there are ways the reigning Super Bowl champions could benefit from Watson’s suspension.
“Obviously, that was bad news with the four-game suspension, but what it does for New England, it gives them roster flexibility,” Tannenbaum said Tuesday on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.” “He won’t be on the roster on opening day and therefore, as a veteran, his contract won’t be guaranteed. They only gave him $600,000 in upfront money. So between now and the fifth game of the regular season, if another option presents itself, they can simply move on from Watson and not reinstate him after Week 4. Obviously, this was bad news, but this actually creates some flexibility for them.”
Watson will not count towards New England’s 53-man roster to start the season, which will allow the Patriots to carry a player who originally might not have made the team. And who knows, this player could make the most of his opportunity over the first four weeks and earn his spot on the roster for the remainder of the season.
It’s tough to imagine the Pats will move on from Watson during the first quarter of the campaign, as the rest of New England’s tight ends are fairly unproven. But stranger things have happened in Foxboro, and we probably shouldn’t rule out any scenarios.
Either way, it would be pretty on-brand for the Patriots to make the most out of adversity.
