Benjamin Watson is reportedly out for Sunday’s game against the Redskins
The tight end was eligible to return Sunday after serving a four-game suspension.
Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson will not travel with the team to Washington and is out for Sunday’s game against the Redskins, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.
Patriots TE Benjamin Watson will not travel with the team to Washington and is out for the game tomorrow, per league source. He can be activated to the 53-man roster by Monday at 4 PM EST.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 5, 2019
The Patriots also announced Saturday afternoon that running back Rex Burkhead and defensive backs Patrick Chung and Nate Ebner are out for Sunday’s game.
RB Rex Burkhead and DBs Patrick Chung and Nate Ebner have been downgraded to out for tomorrow’s game. #NEvsWAS
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 5, 2019
Burkhead has been dealing with a foot injury and played only 12 snaps last week against the Bills. Burkhead, Chung (heel), and Ebner (groin) were all limited participants in practice this week.
Sunday marked the first game Watson was eligible to play this season after serving a four-game suspension to begin the year.
The Patriots signed Watson, 38, on May 10, just months after he announced his retirement from the NFL. But on May 27, he was suspended by the league for failing a drug test.
The Patriots needed to activate him by 4 p.m. EST Saturday in order for him to suit up against the Redskins. There are no reports as of Saturday afternoon on whether an injury is keeping Watson out, but he did miss practice Wednesday.
Another deadline surrounding Watson’s future with the team will come Monday. According to NESN’s Doug Kyed, the Patriots must activate Watson to the 53-man roster by Monday at 4 p.m. EST or he will be released.
#Patriots TE Ben Watson’s exemption expires Monday, per NFL spokesperson. The Patriots need to activate Watson by Saturday at 4 p.m. for him to play Sunday. But they could hold off and lift his exemption Monday. If they don’t lift it by Monday, he would be released.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) October 4, 2019
Watson is in his second stint with the Patriots after being drafted by the organization in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He spent six years in New England, catching 167 passes for 2,102 yards and 20 touchdowns in 71 games.
Watson then spent three seasons each with the Cleveland Browns (2010-2012) and New Orleans Saints (2013-2015), one season with the Baltimore Ravens (2017), then he reconnected with Drew Brees and the Saints again last season, when he hauled in 35 receptions for 400 yards.
His best season in the NFL came in 2015 when he had career-highs in catches (74), yards (825), and touchdowns (6).
Matt LaCosse and Ryan Izzo are the current tight ends on the Patriots depth chart following Rob Gronkowksi’s retirement. Through four games, LaCosse and Izzo have combined for four catches and 77 yards.
Sunday’s matchup with the winless Redskins is set for 1 p.m.
