New England Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson is eligible to play in Week 5 after serving his four-game suspension for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. However, according to Field Yates of ESPN, he won't be playing against the Washington Redskins on Sunday.
Watson, 38, can be activated to the 53-man roster by Monday at 4 p.m. EST.
The Patriots signed Watson to a one-year deal after he announced his brief retirement in the offseason. He is expected to fill the void of Rob Gronkowski (partially), as none currently on the roster have done so.
In Watson's absence, the Patriots have seen tight ends Matt Lacosse and Ryan Izzo catch a combined total of four catches in four games. Though the Patriots are a perfect 4-0, their offense has relied heavily on the outstanding defense.
While it may be a surprising move that Watson won't play against the hapless 0-4 Redskins, it's a strategic one. The Patriots own a roster exemption for Watson, meaning he doesn't take up a spot in his first week back in practice. However, if the Patriots activate him, they would need to clear a roster spot.
Watson was a first-round pick by the Patriots in 2004. He bounced around for 10 years — with the Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints (twice), and Baltimore Ravens — before finding a home in New England again.
In 2018, Watson played in all 16 games for the Saints. He started four. In doing so, the veteran tight end caught 35 passes for 400 yards and two scores.
Expect him to return to the NFL gridiron for Week 6 against the New York Giants on Thursday Night Football.
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