Benjamin Watson - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Brees, Watson, Contracts

March 11th, 2018 at 8:17pm CST by Ben Levine

With less than 24 hours until the exclusive negotiating window closes, the Saints and Drew Brees still haven’t come to an agreement on a new deal, reports Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (via Twitter). If a contract isn’t agreed to by noon eastern time tomorrow, rival teams can make their pitch to the veteran quarterback.

Brees contract officially voids on Wednesday, although the 39-year-old will be allowed to negotiate with teams starting on Monday. If the Saints don’t come to an agreement with Brees before the start of free agency on Wednesday, they’ll have to tolerate $18MM in dead money against their cap. For what it’s worth, we heard in January that the veteran wasn’t planning on testing the market.

The 11-time Pro Bowler had another standout campaign in 2017, completing a career-high 72-percent of his passes for 4,334 yards, 23 touchdowns, and eight interceptions.

Let’s take a look at some other notes from around the NFL…

Veteran tight end Ben Watson is contemplating retirement, reports CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora (via Twitter). However, the 37-year-old would be willing to continue his playing career if “the opportunity presents itself.” After missing the entire 2016 season due to a torn Achilles, Watson bounced back in 2017 with the Ravens, hauling in 61 catches for 522 yards and four touchdowns. After being selected in the first round of the 2004 draft, Watson has also played for the Patriots, Browns, and Saints.
Former NFL agent (and current CBS Sports writer) Joel Corry continues to explore the ideal contracts for some of the NFL’s top free agents and extension candidates. Corry believes Le’Veon Bell should pursue a five-year, $71.25MM deal with $19MM in guaranteed money. Corry also focuses on wideouts Jarvis Landry, who he believes should look for a five-year, $75MM deal ($48MM guaranteed), and Allen Robinson (one-year, $10MM, $9MM guaranteed). Tight end Jimmy Graham (four years, $34MM), offensive guard Andrew Norwell (five years, $65MM), and offensive tackle Nate Solder (five year, $72.5MM) were also included in Corry’s analysis.
Corry also took a look at the top free agents/extension candidates on defense. The largest suggested contract goes to defensive end Demarcus Lawrence, as Corry suggests a five-year, $97.5MM deal (with $60MM guaranteed). The former agent also analyzed defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (four years, $66MM), defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (five years, $81.25MM), cornerback Trumaine Johnson (five years, $77.5MM), cornerback Kyle Fuller (five years, $67.5MM), and safety Lamarcus Joyner (five years, $57.5MM).

Top 2018 NFL Free Agents By Position: Offense

March 5th, 2018 at 10:09pm CST by Zachary Links

NFL free agency will get underway on Wednesday, March 14th, and while the list of free agents will change between now and then, we do have some idea of who will be available when free agency kicks off. The frenzy is right around the corner and it’s time for us to break down the outlook for each position. We’ll start today on offense, before getting to defense and special teams later this week.

Listed below are our rankings for the top 15 free agents at each offensive position. The rankings aren’t necessarily determined by the value of the contracts that each player is expected to land in free agency, they are simply the players we like the most at each position, with both short- and long-term value taken into account. Restricted and exclusive-rights free agents are not listed here since they are unlikely to actually reach the open market. The same goes for players who have been franchise tagged or transition tagged.

We’ll almost certainly be higher or lower on some guys than you are, so we encourage you to make your voice heard in our comments section to let us know which free agents we’ve got wrong.

Here’s our breakdown of the current top 15 free agents by offensive position for 2018:

Quarterback:

There were many difficult calls when putting this list together, but ranking Kirk Cousins as the No. 1 QB available was not among them. Cousins is the best quarterback to reach free agency in recent history and he’ll become the highest-paid player of all-time – at least, for some period of time – in mid-March. Who will make history with Cousins? That’s anyone’s guess right now. The Browns have more cap room than any other team, but a recent report from Adam Schefter of ESPN.com listed the Broncos, Cardinals, Jets, and Vikings as the final suitors for Cousins. Of those four, the Jets have the most money to work with, but they’re concerned about the Vikings winning out and Cousins’ desire to win could point him in another direction. If the Broncos and Cardinals want in on the Cousins sweepstakes, they’ll have to get creative with the books.

Drew Brees is included here, but by his own admission, he’ll be re-signing with the Saints rather than testing the open waters of free agency. Unless the Saints lowball their franchise QB, it’s hard to see him leaving New Orleans.

Case Keenum put together a tremendous season for the Vikings, but he doesn’t have a history of success beyond 2017. There will be plenty of interest in Keenum, but only after QB-needy teams strike out on Cousins. The incumbent Vikings could re-sign Keenum, but right now, it seems like they are intent on exploring the Cousins waters first.

There isn’t a ton of footage on A.J. McCarron, which made his placement on this list awfully tricky. We know this much: McCarron did well in place of Dalton in the home stretch of the 2015 season and his former offensive coordinator Hue Jackson was salivating at the chance of landing him before the Browns bungled the trade with the Bengals. McCarron’s relative youth is a plus (he won’t turn 28 until September) and his lack of experience can be looked at as a positive. Unlike some of the other names on this list, he hasn’t run up his NFL odometer.

What will NFL teams make of Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Bradford this offseason? Not long ago, both seemed like quality starting options. However, there are serious injury questions about both players and any team signing them will either look to backstop them with another decent option or ask them to come onboard as a QB2. With that in mind, one has to wonder if Bradford would consider retirement if asked to hold the clipboard for another signal caller. Bradford has earned upwards of $110MM over the years in the NFL, so it’s safe to say that he has enough money in the bank to call it quits if he wants. For now, he’s intent on playing.

Colin Kaepernick‘s placement on this list is sure to draw some strong reactions from his fans and detractors alike. Looking purely at his football ability, there’s no question that he belongs on someone’s roster. At minimum, Kaepernick profiles as a high-end backup, even after a year out of the game.

Quarterbacks coaches have long believed that Mike Glennon is capable of great things, due in part to his height. At 6’7″, he can see over any defensive line, but he hasn’t done much on the field to prove that he is a quality Week 1 starting option. Josh McCown, who is a decade his senior, edges him here for his surprisingly strong performance in 2017 at the helm of a weak Jets offense.

Running back:

We’re in the illegal tampering period which, frankly, is just as active as the legal tampering period. Already, Dion Lewis is attracting attention from a number of teams and it’s speculated (wink wink) that the Jets, Texans, 49ers, Raiders, and Colts will have interest in him when things get underway next week. Le’Veon Bell has a franchise tag coming his way, so Lewis stands as the most attractive RB option out there.

Carlos Hyde didn’t have the kind of platform year he was hoping for, but he’s still just 26 and could headline a running back by committee group.

Jerick McKinnon‘s placement on this list figures to be controversial, but his athleticism and pass-catching ability can blow a game wide open. No one will bank on McKinnon to carry the ball 20 times per game, but he can be a real difference maker for a team out there.

Can Frank Gore outrun father time? History indicates that he can’t and so does his 3.7 yards per carry average in 2017. You have to give credit where credit is due, however. Gore has been ruled out by many for years, but he has not missed a regular season game since the 2010 season. He’s also just one year removed from cracking 1,000 yards and he almost did the same last year.

Wide receiver:

For most teams, Allen Robinson would be a franchise tag candidate. However, that may be too much of a luxury for the cash-strapped Jaguars. He presents a fascinating free agent case. Robinson missed all but three snaps of the 2017 season after suffering a torn ACL, but he’s the most talented wide receiver on the board in the eyes of many. His 2015 season – 80 catches, 1,400 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdowns – makes GMs drool. His quieter year in 2016 (73 catches, 883 yards, and six touchdowns) is less worthy of salivation. His 2017 season, of course, was a lost cause. For all the question marks, you can expect Robinson to see more dollars than any other free agent WR this year, particularly since Jarvis Landry has been held back by the tag.

Some in the football world may prefer Sammy Watkins for his big-play ability, but his down contract year amidst a capable offense is cause for concern. His injury history doesn’t do him any favors either. No matter your feelings on Watkins, there’s no debating that this year’s WR market has a top tier comprised of just two players – Watkins and Robinson. With few quality receivers out there, they’ll both get paid.

Marqise Lee represents a much less sexy option (speaking in football terms, of course), but he had the most receptions of any Jaguars receiver in 2017 (56) and finished second in receiving yards (702). Teams looking for a quality WR2 in free agency could do a lot worse than Lee and he’ll be far cheaper than the two-man top tier.

Danny Amendola hauled in 61 receptions for 659 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season and continued his strong play in the playoffs. However, teams will wonder if he can thrive in his age-33 season while playing outside of the Patriots’ offense. It’s also quite possible that he never tests the market as his stated preference is to remain in New England.

After that, you’ll notice a pretty significant drop off. That’s because this year’s WR class isn’t all that deep. Terrelle Pryor had to settle for a one-year prove-it contract last year and, to put it mildly, he did not prove it. Paul Richardson caught 44 passes for 703 yards and six touchdowns in 2017, but that marked his first NFL season of real note.

Tight end:

Trey Burton spent most of the year behind Zach Ertz on the Eagles’ depth chart, but he emerged late in the season and set himself up nicely for free agency. Given his age and potential, there’s no question that he is the belle of the ball at tight end.

The rest of the tight end crop is not nearly as inspiring. Jimmy Graham has enjoyed back-to-back Pro Bowl seasons with the Seahawks, but he’ll turn 32 in November and he’s no longer the monster playmaker that he was in New Orleans. He had ten touchdowns in 2017, but his 9.1 yards per reception average is a career low.

Odds are, you have Tyler Eifert ranked over Austin Seferian-Jenkins given the fact that Eifert has played just ten games over the last two years. ASJ, meanwhile, rebounded from personal issues to post a 50-catch season for the Jets. Personally, I’m picking Eifert based on upside. Hopefully, we can still be friends.

Virgil Green, Darren Fells, and Lee Smith aren’t exactly fantasy football superstars, but they are quality blocking tight ends that will draw more dollars than expected.

With some uninspiring names towards the backend of the list, you may be wondering where former Ravens notable Crockett Gillmore is on this list. Gillmore is transitioning to the offensive line, so he did not warrant consideration here.

Fullback:

Jon Gruden may go eagerly shopping for fullbacks, but they’re not nearly as popular as they once were.

Offensive tackle:

Offensive line play is down across the board and evaluators around the league have been openly complaining about an increasing dearth of tackles coming out of college. That makes for a generally uninspiring lot in free agency.

Nate Solder battled through injuries in 2017 and did not miss a game. He’s no longer a top-flight option, but he graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 32 tackle last year, meaning that he’s starter quality at left tackle. You’ll notice that three of the top five tackles on this list are Patriots. There’s little chance that the Pats let all three get away.

Justin Pugh offers the ability to play both guard and right tackle, though he might not do either one particularly well.

Interior offensive line (guard/center):

Andrew Norwell is the undisputed king of this category after netting an All-Pro selection in 2017. Norwell also earned a career-high 88.8 overall score from Pro Football Focus, which positioned him third in the entire NFL amongst guards. A team with greater means than the Panthers might have used the franchise tag on him. Fortunately for rival teams in need of interior help (such as the Giants), they won’t cuff him with the one-year placeholder.

Ravens TE Benjamin Watson Takes Pay Cut

June 13th, 2017 at 1:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Ravens tight end Ben Watson has agreed to take a pay cut, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. If Watson is healthy, the deal could improve his chances of making the final 53-man cut.

Watson was previously slated to make $3MM in the coming season. Instead, he’ll now take in a base salary of $1.25MM with more than half of that sum ($750K) fully guaranteed. The deal also has incentive opportunities that can bring him back up to the original $3MM mark.

Watson could be key for the Ravens in the coming year now that Dennis Pitta is out of the picture. Last year, Pitta battled back from multiple hip injuries to turn in one of the best seasons of his career. Watson might not be able to match his production – Pitta caught 86 passes for 729 yards and two scores – but he could help to fill the void.

Watson, 36, signed a two-year, $7MM contract with Baltimore last spring, but never made it on the field after going down in August. In 2015, he had 74 receptions for 825 yards and six touchdowns for the Saints.

Ravens Notes: Boldin, Mosley, Jernigan

March 28th, 2017 at 11:25am CST by Dallas Robinson

Although Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said he’d “obviously” be open to signing veteran wide receiver Anquan Boldin, he admitted he’ll leave the club’s personnel decisions to general manager Ozzie Newsome, according to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun (Twitter links). Boldin, 36, has already indicated he’ll return for a 15th NFL season, but he may not sign with a club until later this summer. Baltimore may also look to find a receiver via trade, or perhaps pick up a veteran wideout that has recently been cut by another club, says Harbaugh.

Here’s more on the Ravens:

Linebacker C.J. Mosley‘s fifth-year option is a mere “formality,” per Harbaugh, as Baltimore wants the former first-round pick “to be a Ravens for many years” (Twitter link via Zrebiec). The non-top-10 pick fifth-year option salary for linebackers in 2017 will be $8.369MM, so the figure could tick towards $9MM in 2019. Mosley, 24, missed two games last year but still racked up 92 tackles and four interceptions, grading as the league’s No. 7 linebacker, per Pro Football Focus.
Harbaugh didn’t deny rumors that defensive lineman Timmy Jernigan could be traded, reports Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “Everybody is up for trade,” Harbaugh said. “It’s part of the conversation in the NFL.” Mike Lombardi of The Ringer recently indicated he’s heard Jernigan’s name pop up in trade discussions. Jernigan, who is entering the final year of his rookie deal, played in all 16 games last season and managed five sacks.
While veteran tight end Ben Watson hasn’t yet been cleared to practice, he is ahead of schedule as he recovers from a torn Achilles, per Hensley. Watson, 36, signed a two-year, $7MM contract with Baltimore last spring, but never made it on the field after going down in August. There’s no guarantee Watson makes the Ravens’ final roster, as the club also boasts Dennis Pitta (who recently accepted a paycut), Maxx Williams, Crockett Gillmore, Nick Boyle, and Darren Waller at tight end.
Right guard Marshal Yanda underwent offseason shoulder surgery to repair a nagging injury that caused him to miss three games in 2016, according to Hensley. Despite his health issues, the 32-year-old Yanda was spectacular once again last season, as PFF graded him as the NFL’s best guard. He’s signed through the 2019 campaign.

Ravens Place Watson, Arrington On IR

August 29th, 2016 at 9:07am CST by Zachary Links

The Ravens took a big step towards getting their roster down to 75 today. The Ravens announced that they have placed veteran tight end Ben Watson and cornerback Kyle Arrington on injured reserve. Meanwhile, the team has also waived eight other players and cut one.

Both Watson and Arrington suffered their season-ending injuries during preseason. In the Ravens’ preseason opener against the Panthers, Arrington suffered a concussion that he has yet to recover from. Watson, meanwhile, tore his Achilles on Saturday night against the Lions.

The Ravens cut linebacker Kavell Conner and he’ll immediately hit the free agent market as a vested veteran. Meanwhile, the following eight players have been waived:

G Jarell Broxton
DT Trevon Coley
WR Dobson Collins
C Anthony Fabiano
WR Chuck Jacobs
QB Jerrod Johnson
LB Mario Ojemudia
WR Darius White

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ben Watson Tears Achilles

August 27th, 2016 at 6:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

After a revitalizing season that earned him a two-year commitment from the Ravens, Ben Watson now faces an uncertain future. The 35-year-old tight end tore his Achilles’ tendon on Saturday night, and the Ravens announced (on Twitter) he will be out for the remainder of the season.

Watson suffered the injury on the first play of the Ravens’ preseason game against the Lions, doing so in a game that featured Terrell Suggs and Joe Flacco make their 2016 debuts for Baltimore.

Watson signed a two-year, $7MM deal with the Ravens in March, with $3MM in full guarantees. He’s set to earn $4MM this season. Watson will turn 36 in December and will now be facing the prospect of potentially making a comeback for a 14th season in 2017 on the heels of one of toughest injuries from which to recover.

A former Patriots, Browns and Saints starter, Watson enjoyed his finest statistical season at age 34 last season, catching 74 passes for 825 yards and eight touchdowns — all career highs — and added to the Ravens’ deep, yet muddled tight end corps.

Baltimore still has 2015 second-rounder Maxx Williams, along with 2014 third-rounder Crockett Gillmore. Dennis Pitta remains the Ravens’ highest-paid tight end, but while he was finally cleared to return after the career-threatening hip injury, the 31-year-old is out due to a broken finger sustained in a training camp fight. Pitta
played just seven games in the past three seasons.

So, the Ravens might have the depth to withstand this. But their 2016 passing game — which will attempt to pick up the pieces after the team lost most of its starting skill-position talent in 2015 — will absorb a hit as a result of Watson’s absence.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

East Notes: Bills, Cowboys, Dolphins, Pats

March 13th, 2016 at 5:53pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

The latest from the NFL’s two East divisions:

The Bills have fired defensive line coach Karl Dunbar after one year on the job, reports Kimberley A. Martin of Newsday (Twitter link). Dunbar had worked under head coach Rex Ryan with both the Jets and Bills since 2012.
The Cowboys are “intent” on decreasing cornerback Brandon Carr‘s $13.8MM cap hit, so whether he sticks with the team will hinge on his willingness to take a pay cut – something he may be open to – writes David Moore of The Dallas Morning News. Carr, who will turn 30 in May, joined the Cowboys in 2012 and has since intercepted six passes, though he hasn’t registered a pick since 2013.
The Dolphins haven’t closed the book on signing a veteran wideout at some point to replace the departed Rishard Matthews, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. As Jackson notes, available options include big names like Anquan Boldin, Marques Colston Roddy White and Percy Harvin.
The Patriots didn’t make a push to sign tight end Ben Watson before he agreed to a deal with Baltimore earlier this week, but they might have done so had he come cheaper, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com. Watson, who got two years and $8MM from the Ravens, was the Patriots’ first-round pick in 2004. He was with the franchise through the 2009 campaign, catching 167 passes and 20 touchdowns.
Patriots guard Tre’ Jackson missed both of the team’s playoff games with a knee injury. As a result, he has undergone a knee scope within the last month, per Reiss, who adds that it’s unlikely to affect the 23-year-old’s long-term availability. Jackson, a fourth-rounder last year, appeared in 13 games and made nine starts as a rookie.

Free Agent Rumors: RG3, Rams, Chiefs

March 10th, 2016 at 12:18pm CST by Zachary Links

The latest free agent rumors:

Robert Griffin III would “very much” like to play for the Rams in Los Angeles, a source tells Vincent Bonsignore of the Daily News (on Twitter). The 49ers and the Broncos have also been connected to Griffin this week.
Despite outside interest, Tamba Hali says that he gave no thought at all to leaving the Chiefs, Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star tweets. The Falcons were reportedly a finalist for his services.
Stevan Ridley‘s market continues to unfold but the Patriots haven’t shown interest in a reunion, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets. Still, Howe (link) points out that the Patriots reached out to Ridley late last offseason before he joined the Jets, so nothing can be completely ruled out, even though that union is still unlikely. Ridley racked up 1,263 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground back in 2012 for the Pats.
The Ravens reviewed eight free agent tight ends but after watching a handful of plays from Ben Watson on tape, they determined that he was their guy, GM Ozzie Newsome told reporters, including Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter).
The Eagles‘ interest in defensive tackle Cedric Thornton is “tepid,” Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The Eagles haven’t ruled out a return, however.
The Seahawks are interested in guard Ted Larsen, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (on Twitter). As we learned yesterday, Larsen will also take a visit with the 49ers.

AFC Contract Details: Osemele, Irvin, M. Jackson

March 9th, 2016 at 11:19am CST by Luke Adams

Here are the latest updates on many recently agreed-upon or signed contracts from around the AFC:

AFC West:

Kelechi Osemele, G/T (Raiders): Five years, $58.5MM. $25.4MM fully guaranteed. Max value of $60MM via Pro Bowl incentives. Guaranteed base salaries of $6.7MM in 2016 and 2017. $6MM roster bonuses in 2016 and 2017 (Twitter links via Tom Pelissero of USA Today and Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post).
Bruce Irvin, OLB (Raiders): Four years, $37MM. $14.5MM fully guaranteed. $19MM total guarantee. $6MM roster bonus in 2016, $2.25MM roster bonus in 2017 (Twitter link via Wilson).
Joe Barksdale, T (Chargers): Four years, $22MM. $10.5MM fully guaranteed. $4MM signing bonus. Fully guaranteed $3.5MM salary in 2016. $3MM of $4.5MM salary in 2017 fully guaranteed (Twitter links via Wilson).

AFC South:

Malik Jackson, DL (Jaguars): Six years, $85.5MM. $31.5MM fully guaranteed. $42MM total guarantee. $10.5MM of $13.5MM base salary for 2018 becomes fully guaranteed in March 2018 (Twitter links via Pelissero).
Dwayne Allen, TE (Colts): Four years, $29.4MM. $4MM signing bonus. $16MM total guarantee (including injury guarantee). $5.5MM roster bonus in 2016. $2MM roster bonus on fifth day of 2017 league year (Twitter links via Wilson).
Ben Jones, C/G (Titans): Four years, $17.5MM. $3.5MM signing bonus. $7.5MM guaranteed. $2.5MM of $3.5MM salary for 2017 is fully guaranteed. $500K roster bonus due in March 2016 (Twitter links via Wilson).
Chris Clark, T (Texans): Two years, $6MM. $1MM signing bonus. $750K roster bonus due on March 16 (Twitter link via Wilson).
Adam Vinatieri, K (Colts): Two years, $6MM. $1MM of $3.25MM salary for 2016 is guaranteed. Can earn $500K in field-goal percentage incentives each year (Twitter link via Wilson).

AFC North:

Shareece Wright, CB (Ravens): Three years, $13MM. $4MM signing bonus. Up to $1MM annually in playing-time incentives (Twitter link via Wilson).
William Gay, CB (Steelers): Three years, $7.5MM. $1.9MM signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).
Ben Watson, TE (Ravens): Two years, $7MM. $2MM signing bonus. $3MM fully guaranteed. $1MM roster bonus due April 1, 2016. $1MM escalator for 2017 (Twitter link via Wilson).
Tank Carder, LB (Browns): Two years, $2.5MM. $300K signing bonus (Twitter link via Wilson).

AFC East:

Mario Williams, DE (Dolphins): Two years, $17MM. $4MM signing bonus. Fully guaranteed $4.485MM salary for 2016. $3.5MM of $8.45MM salary for 2017 guaranteed for injury; becomes fully guaranteed on fifth day of 2017 league year. Deal includes incentives for sacks, playing time, Pro Bowls (all Twitter links via Wilson).
LaAdrian Waddle, T (Patriots): Two years, $2.35MM. $250K signing bonus. $200K annually in per-game roster bonuses (Twitter links via Wilson and Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press).

Ravens To Sign TE Ben Watson

March 8th, 2016 at 5:07pm CST by Zachary Links

5:07pm: Watson will sign a two-year, $8MM deal with the Ravens, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).

2:04pm: The Saints have lost tight end end Ben Watson to the Ravens, a source tells Jeff Zrebiec of The Baltimore Sun (on Twitter). The tight end revived his career in New Orleans he will now try and keep things rolling in Baltimore.

The Ravens were in the hunt for a tight end this offseason due to some uncertainty at the position. Dennis Pitta is one of the league’s toughest matchups when healthy, but it has been a long time since he was on the field and productive. Ravens tight end Nick Boyle is facing a 10-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Tight end Crockett Gillmore, who offered solid offensive production in 2015, recently underwent surgery on both of his ailing shoulders. The team does still have rising sophomore Maxx Williams, but Watson will give Baltimore an experienced fallback at the position.

Now, the Saints have some work to do to fortify their tight end situation since Watson is out of the picture and Josh Hill is a restricted free agent. They made one move earlier today at tight end, however, re-signing Michael Hoomanawanui.

Watson was ranked as the No. 7 tight end on PFR’s free agent list, behind Antonio Gates, Coby Fleener, Dwayne Allen, Ladarius Green, Zach Miller, and Jared Cook.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.