The New England Patriots may be on their way to filling perhaps their biggest roster need: tight end. The Patriots are hosting free agent tight end Ben Watson for a visit on Thursday, according the ESPN's Adam Schefter. Watson, 38, intends to come out of retirement.

A return to New England would give Watson a chance for his career to come full circle. He was drafted by the Patriots in 2004 and played six seasons in New England from 2004 to 2009.

During that time, he played in 71 games (47 starts) recording 2,102 yards on 167 receptions and scored 20 receiving touchdowns.

Watson played his 2018 season with quarterback Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints where he had 35 receptions while playing in all 16 games (four starts). He also recorded 400 receiving yards and two touchdowns last year.

Watson has recorded 5,885 receiving yards on 530 receptions and 44 touchdowns in his career.

He would help to bolster a tight end group that saw Rob Gronkowski retire and currently has a depth chart containing Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Stephen Anderson and Matt LaCosse.

Watson said in April he would consider a return to playing football but only after his wife, Kirsten, gave birth to newborn twins April 24. Watson made the pregnancy news public with his celebration of a touchdown in November against the Rams by holding up one hand with five fingers extended and then another hand with two fingers, all to signal the number of children he would have after the birth of the twins.