Patriots Adding Comp-Free Vets

With veterans no longer counting against the compensatory pick formula, the Patriots have added two veterans, tackle Jared Veldheer and tight end Ben Watson that won’t cost them any of their projected four comp picks.

The moves are no brainers at positions in transition, with each on a low-risk one-year deal. The moves continue an approach to throw as much as possible at the wall when there’s positional uncertainty.

Combined, the team lost five “starters” at tight end and tackle and after the draft they still need all the help they can get, especially trying to make up for what they lost in Rob Gronkowski piecemeal. It’s gonna take a lot of pieces.

Isaiah Wynn is no lock to be the day one left tackle. Until we see him start there and stay there, it will likely be Veldheer protecting Tom Brady’s blindside early in the season. I don’t doubt Wynn could be the starter there by the end of the season for one reason or another. But out of the gate. coming off a torn Achilles the safe move is to play it safe with the experienced Veldheer.

Let’s not forget they have to replace the swing spot too, a far better way to get Wynn’s feet wet.

Patriots-Bills week 1, 2009: @TomBrady‘s two TD passes to @BenjaminSWatson in the 4th quarter to give the Pats the win!!

Welcome back @BenjaminSWatson!! pic.twitter.com/PCveTSQWh7— 69 (@ftbeard_17) May 9, 2019

I’m a huge fan of football nostalgia so it’s easy to be happy that Ben Watson unretired for one last year with the tight end-needy Pats. The first three moments from Watson’s 2004-2009 first tenure in New England that spring to mind:

• 2005 Watson’s coming out party catch-and-run against the Jags in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
• A week later he’d chase down Champ Bailey and nearly cause a touchback that would’ve averted disaster. Did Champ fumble out of the end zone, we’ll never know, but Watson’s continued hustle was the biggest takeaway.
• In 2009’s opener, Watson caught two touchdowns in the final three minutes to steal a victory against an upstart Bills team determined to give the game away.

Now between Watson, Seferian-Jenkins, Lacosse and don’t forget about Ryan Izzo, the Patriots have thrown a bunch of options at the wall. Andrew Beck and practice squadder Stephen Anderson will also get a shot.

Watson should open camp as the starter, at least for example’s sake. There’s no better locker room addition and in regards to leadership it’s even more of a slam dunk than him being a proven veteran Y tight end. It will be interesting to see how he re-assimilates and if he’s still got the juice for the Patriots Football Machine.

How will it play out? Injuries will likely be a factor, but change is clearly in the works. They’ve now done a pretty good job building a deep training camp roster. Two months to go…