The New England Patriots are once again looking for a name atop their tight end depth chart. According to Ben Watson himself, the 38-year old tight end will miss the first four games of the season due to a failed drug test. Watson informed New England of his upcoming suspension prior to signing, so this news doesn’t come as a surprise to Bill Belichick and the coaching staff. However, with Watson temporarily out of the picture, it’s time to re-examine the Patriots tight end depth chart.
As currently constructed, the tight end depth chart consists of Matt LaCosse, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Andrew Beck, Ryan Izzo, and Stephen Anderson. One of these five will need to step up in Watson’s absence, but who is the best fit for Watson’s role?
Updated New England Patriots Tight End Depth Chart Without Ben Watson
The Veterans
With Watson gone, the top tight ends on the depth chart are Matt LaCosse and Austin Seferian-Jenkins. Seferian-Jenkins is the bigger name, as the former second-round pick has the athletic upside to be a serviceable tight end. The Washington product struggles with consistency but has flashed the ability to be a reliable presence as both a blocker and a pass catcher.
According to Pro Football Focus, Seferian-Jenkins was a good blocker during his five-game 2018 season. Additionally, Seferian-Jenkins recorded a respectable 50 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns in 2017 with the New York Jets. Seferian-Jenkins has spent his career catching passes from an underwhelming barrage of quarterbacks headlined by Josh McCown, Blake Bortles, and Jameis Winston, so it stands to reason that he could improve with Tom Brady.
However, early returns show that Matt LaCosse is the frontrunner for the TE1 position. According to Evan Lazar of CLNS.com, LaCosse put together a strong performance during New England’s OTA’s. While he was taking snaps behind Watson, the former Bronco reportedly stood out in a positive manner when on the field.
FWIW: thought Matt LaCosse looked good at OTAs on Thursday. Watson was the #1, but LaCosse moved well and had natural hands. #Patriots
— Evan Lazar (@ezlazar) May 26, 2019
Last, and probably least, is third-year tight end Stephen Anderson. Anderson initially entered the league as an undrafted free agent back in 2016 and spent the first two years of his career with the Houston Texans. However, Anderson didn’t make the roster in 2018 and spent the majority of the season on New England’s practice squad. Anderson doesn’t bring anything as a blocker and is a fairly underwhelming receiver. Even with Watson suspended, it’s hard to imagine Anderson making the team.
The Untested
While Rob Gronkowski and Ben Watson are obviously the biggest departures, the Patriots also need to replace blocking specialist Dwayne Allen. While the veterans can battle it out for pass-catching responsibilities, the duo of Andrew Beck and Ryan Izzo will battle it out for the blocking tight end position.
Beck is an undrafted free agent but stands a decent chance at a roster spot. The Patriots clearly see something in Bell, as he received $100,000 in guaranteed money from the Patriots. This was the highest signing bonus given to any of New England’s undrafted free agents.
Izzo is a 2018 seventh-round pick who has yet to play a professional snap. The rookie looked good in last years’ preseason and even had a chance to usurp Allen as the primary blocking tight end. However, the rookie suffered a foot injury in the preseason finale and landed on the injured reserve. If he can return to form, the battle between Izzo and Beck should be one of the best in camp. However, both players project as block-first specialists and their standing on the roster is relatively unaffected by the Watson suspension.
Last Word on the Updated Patriots Tight End Depth Chart
Ben Watson’s suspension opens the door for one of Matt LaCosse, Austin Seferian-Jenkins, and Stephen Anderson. Each one of these players projects as a pass-catching tight end who can play a complementary role in the passing attack. While none are as good as Watson, one of these three should be good enough to hold down the position for four weeks.
As of this posting, LaCosse stands the best chance to enter the season as the TE1. The former Denver Bronco is probably the best pass-catcher of the bunch and reportedly had the best OTA’s. This competition will go down to the wire and could be decided in the late in the preseason.
Watson’s suspension has little to no effect on Andrew Beck and Ryan Izzo. These players are battling for the same spot as the primary blocking tight end. Watson wasn’t going to serve in this role, and it’s anyone’s guess if Izzo or Beck emerge victoriously.
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