New England Patriots: Top 5 tight ends in franchise history
By Duncan Day
The New England Patriots have become known for their use of tight ends, but who are the five best in franchise history?
Throughout the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era, otherworldly tight ends haven’t graced the New England Patriots besides Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.
That duo was virtually unbeatable, creating significant size and quickness discrepancies in 1-on-1 matchups. Hernandez was basically an oversized 245-pound receiver with exceptional change of direction proficiency, demonstrated by his fast three-cone drill (6.58 seconds), per NBC Sports. For comparison, rookie Green Bay Packers defensive back Kevin King had the best 3-cone time (6.56 seconds) at the 2017 NFL Combine.
Regardless of his freak athleticism, Hernandez’s heinous act of murder ruined the possibility of him going down as one of the Patriots’ greats, and his suicide concluded an overall tragic set of events.
Although the Patriots weren’t consistent championship contenders in their earlier days, they’ve had skilled tight ends for some time. The question is, who are the franchise’s best players at the position?
Note: Statistics were gathered through Pro Football Reference unless otherwise stated
5. Ben Watson (2004-09)
The Patriots drafted the former University of Georgia tight end in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He had his best season in 2006, starting 13 games and notching 643 receiving yards. The next year, he caught a career-best six touchdowns. In the end, he snagged the fourth-most touchdowns for a tight end in Patriots history.
“Six years is a long time,” Watson said right before leaving New England, per ESPN. “A lot happens over that time, a lot of bonds are formed, so in a way this is bittersweet.”
After a highly productive 2015 campaign — one to remember with the New Orleans Saints — Watson moved to the Baltimore Ravens and tore his Achilles tendon before the regular season opened. Watson’s NFL career is almost finished. He will turn 37 years old near the end of the 2017 season, and his current contract will make him an unrestricted free agent in 2018.