Ben Watson visiting NE (1 Viewer)

[El Caliente]

I hope he doesn’t sign there. We need him here as a leader and as a key contributor to the offense.

 

[St. Geezy]

 

[TribuneUK]

He's out of contract and the team moved on. Can't blame him if he still wants to play, he will be a great role model wherever he goes and enrich the local community, that's all good stuff.

 

[RaisingTheBar]

Yep he's out of retirment. Likely not to sign with the Saints if you look at the teams that are interested.

 

[Thunderchild]

Yeah, NE makes a lot of sense for him. There is a reasonable opening at TE with Gronk's retirement so there he has a shot at a ring AND a shot to play.

Here he has a shot at a ring, but he would play only in a BU capacity because he isn't beating out Cook. And that is if the Saints have an interest in hiring him. I'm doubtful that they do when you look at the TE room. We have the numbers with Cook and Hill ( new contract) taking up the bulk of the budgeted salary for that position.

As much as I like him, I just can't see the Saints making room and the Pats have a need.

His visit there just makes so much sense for him and for the Pats.

 

[SAINTSFAN]

I am sure that he would be a Saints if the Saints were interested. I assume they have told him he may have a better opportunity elsewhere.

 

[TribuneUK]

You can't sign everybody.

 

[tomwaits]

He is way too early for the beautiful foliage. I think that is in the fall.

 

[BoNcHiE]

We don't need him.

Cook is 3-4x the player at this point and we have the backups already in place. Watson probably wants to be somewhere where he can get at least 40% of the snaps. That's not happening here.

 

[HouseCall]

I think everyone saw this coming a mile away. From what I could gather from Ben's comments last month, he wants to be with his wife and the baby(s) and then sign. So my guess is, he's getting the meetings out of the way with some suitors and then come second half of the season, when the contenders are established, he'll sign somewhere. I'd always assumed it was going to be New England. Finish your career with the coach/team that drafted you, easier route to the Super Bowl -- it makes sense.

 

[livefromDC]

As soon as we drafted a receiving TE, I think that ship had sailed. The Saints have no problem carrying 4 TEs, but with Cook as the TE1 Cook, Hill as the primary blocking TE, and Mack to develop, the Saints find themselves with 1 slot left a position that needed at least 2 new bodies when the season ended.

 

[Nutria]

He's not needed at this point. What a great guy though. I think that Watson and Ingram are both significant losses in terms of the locker room.

 

[St.Dan]

He and his wife just had more babies. Even pro ball players get the same message the rest of us do when that happens -- start bringing in more money or else!

Cook will do just fine here as the new TE1. The locker room aspect of not having Watson and Ingram is in the back of my mind, but we still have a team full of team players.....so I'm not as worried as fans of say, the Browns or something.

 

[Thunderchild]

e and his wife just had more babies. Even pro ball players get the same message the rest of us do when that happens -- start bringing in more money or else!

The humorous side of me says its so he can get away and get more sleep at night.

 

[insidejob]

He and his wife just had more babies. Even pro ball players get the same message the rest of us do when that happens -- start bringing in more money or else!

Cook will do just fine here as the new TE1. The locker room aspect of not having Watson and Ingram is in the back of my mind, but we still have a team full of team players.....so I'm not as worried as fans of say, the Browns or something.

When you still got Cam, Drew and (apparently) Davis as locker room leaders, the departure of Ingram and Watson won't be felt. We've got lots of younger guys who will definitely step up in their absence as well.