The Kansas City Chiefs are reportedly working on a deal with veteran free agent tight end Benjamin Watson, who would likely slot in behind Travis Kelce.
The Kansas City Chiefs are working on another signing to bolster the skill positions with the news that veteran Benjamin Watson is in their sights. The tight end is one of the oldest active players in the NFL but he remains effective, and the Chiefs apparently like the idea of what he can bring on offense.
Watson will be 38-years-old this coming season but he shows no signs of slowing down, with some of his most productive years coming in his mid-thirties. Last year he had the highest catch rate of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, catching 61 of 79 passes for a 77.2% rate. He had 522 receiving yards on those 61 receptions and 4 of them went for touchdowns.
As Ian Rapoport notes, the Chiefs are bringing him in for multiple reasons:
Meanwhile, the #Chiefs are looking to add depth and experience at TE, as they are working on a deal for veteran Benjamin Watson.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 21, 2018
The idea of bringing in an outsider to compete for reps at tight end behind Travis Kelce has been on the minds of fans for some time. Last year at this time, Gavin Escobar was the free agent brought in to potentially become a nice second target in the passing game, someone who could compete with Demetrius Harris who tends to drop too many passes.
The plus side here is that there are likely very few players who could come in and teach Travis Kelce much of anything, but Watson is one such player who has another decade in the NFL beyond what Kelce has seen, including several seasons with the New England Patriots. Watson’s veteran leadership and perspective could be what such a young offense needs on the field and in the locker room.