DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Ben Watson

A couple of years ago we had the guy who was generally considered to be one of the premiere receiving TEs in the league in Kellen Winslow.

Of course, he was traded away. The reasons were numerous, from injuries, to salary demands, to an inability to block effectively, and, according to many, a "me first" attitude.

So, we went out and signed Ben Watson this off-season. The general consensus was that Watson was a good blocker, but had under-acheived as a receiver.

This year, after 12 games, I wanted to take a look at where the less capable receiver Watson compared to the superior receiver Winslow. Frankly, I was surprised.

After 12 games so far:

Winslow:
50 catches for 506 yards, 10.12 yards/catch, 2 TDs, 26 1st downs.

Watson:
50 catches for 574 yards, 11.48 yards/catch, 3 TDs 29 1st downs.

That looks like a win for the good guys so far.

I think trading Winslow was the right move for the team.

However, he is one of my all-time favorite Browns. The guy brought it every game. He had competitive fire, wanted to win, and would never back down. He may have been a bit of headcase, but it was a different type than Edwards. I don't think it was as destructive.

It's a shame about the motorcycle accident. The guy could have transcended the position.

Hm. Interesting numbers. He's on pace for a career year. Thanks for sharing. I personally never thought he was an underachieving receiver. He was one of Brady's most effective targets and put up decent numbers for a guy with a top passer with other legit weapons around him. I was really glad we picked him up. Also, it would seem that as is the case in Hillis, not only are they good for the Browns, the Browns are good for them.

Watson has better #'s with 3 different QB's, Winslow's system has been much more stable. That should count for sumptin'

NTM using those picks to acquire Mohammed Massaquoi and part of the Brown/Gocong deal

The knock on Watson was that he was supposed to be this world beating Tight End for New England. If one remembers correctly, he also had crucial drops in critical moments. Which may have soured the fanbase.

Given the production Hernandez and Gronkowski has given them... I'm not too sure they miss him.

However, the guy has came on strong here and I'm actually quite happy to see that he's been one of if not most reliable pass catchers.

If we ever find our #1 WR, be sure to see many more balls thrown his way.

Watson seemed to have mental lapses in New England, but has been full go in Cleveland..

Great to see him do well, and help contribute to this offense. He is one of the better TE's in the league, but really goes under appreciated.

I always liked Ben Watson and was glad we signed him (Champ Bailey chasedown play alone was a great memory to go from).

However, I also thought he would underperform based on expectations because he always did before (in #'s). Very glad that he has proven that aspect wrong.

I uunderstand now in a way I didn't before that Winslow and Edwards were exactly the kinds of players we needed to be rid of. Uber (potential) talent and the completely wrong head-set. Think of all the teams in the league loaded with talent that rarely get over the hump or are dragged backwards by mysterious demons when the going gets rough... Cinci, Dallas, Washington, Jets (I personally don't believe the Jets are going far this year). Think of the teams that just always seem to stay in front of the curve with stocks of lesser known "system" guys... NE, Colts, Giants, Steelers. The culture is bigger than the players. You can't have a weak culture like the Browns have had in the last decade and bring in mercurial guys like Wnslow and Edwards who themselves pull too much gravity. A player like Moss can go into an iron clad culture like NE and he's not as destructive. I get it now. We need guys like Watson, Fujita, Sheldon Brown, Bowens, Hillis, Vickers, Thomas, even Colt fits the profile. They may not be as talented as another potential player but they're steadier, generally positive, more mature and "big picture" psychologically. I'd be willing to bet the overachieving teams I mentioned probably put a good deal more thought into the psychology of a player and how he'll fit into the team than the underachieving teams I mentioned.

Good post

Here's hoping we can find the balance between level-headed and talented in a few key positions next season.

I think 10 was well on the way to and touched upon covering that. Once you get that culture built, you can bring in a Moss or *insert name here* big time player or two.

But the culture and continuity of your team must already be built beforehand for that to succeed IMO

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but it was a different type than Edwards. I don't think it was as destructive.

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Winslow was disruptive. It is well known that his mouth was always running in the huddle. Many games when DA was QB, I remember seeing them in the huddle and either Winslow or Edweards mouth was non stop. The huddle is supposed to be a one voice place, these guys didn't respect that. I think they took advantage of DA's weak personality.

Winslow was a good player, but he also was a distraction who put himself above everybody. In Tampa, he's a weapon, but not a game changer. He IMO is a decent TE, but nothing special on par with a Gonzalez, or even a Heath Miller.

Winslow is 10x better than Health Miller...

I would pick Winslow over Miller EVERYTIME!!

Agreed. Spot on! Hope he really produces this week.

I'd love to draft Kyle Rudolph from Notre Dame if he comes out. He missed most of the season with a torn hamstring. But he seems to be super talented.

He's also 6'6" and can block.

I'd definitely consider taking him with our 2nd rounder if he was still available.

Getting Colt McCoy a Jason Witten-like target (but probably faster) would be awesome.

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Getting Colt McCoy a Jason Witten-like target (but probably faster) would be awesome.

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With watson playing well and Moore, I don't think TE is a big need for us at the moment but I do agree with this statement.

I would love to see us find a Metcalf type who could line up in the backfield, or split out wide on 3rd downs.

A combination of such a back along with Hillis on 3rd downs would be devastating. 2 WRs will require CBs. Watson almost requires short/deep help. Throw a breakaway type back into the mix along with Hillis (who is also a marvelous pass receiver) and you could create all kinds of problems out of a pretty standard package. If you could get into this type of personnel group and get the defense stuck in a base 3-4 or 4-3 by jumpinh into a no huddle ..... they'd be pulling their hair out.

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I would love to see us find a Metcalf type who could line up in the backfield, or split out wide on 3rd downs.

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What are you asking for a....."Ghost"?

I think that a Vickers in the backfield is just enough... and don't forget, there's still the mystery man, Hardesty.

Shoot, a Right Tackle, one or two legitimate WR's and a healthy Hardesty and we could be offensively stacked.

Cleveland Browns' Ben Watson is a special tight end, not a specialist
Published: Thursday, December 09, 2010, 9:18 PM Updated: Thursday, December 09, 2010, 9:25 PM
Bill Lubinger, The Plain Dealer

BEREA, Ohio -- With few exceptions, the modern-day NFL tight end is a specialist. He blocks. Or he catches. Or he's a decoy.

For the Browns this season, Ben Watson has done all of the above. Except for maybe the decoy thing.

How unlikely is it that a tight end leads the team in receptions, and his name isn't Newsome or even Winslow.

"It feels great," Watson said this week, "definitely feels great to have your number called and be a part of the offense."

The 6-3, 255-pound Watson, who turns 30 on Dec. 18 and has started all 12 games for the Browns, is coming off his best game as a pro, with 10 catches for 100 yards and the Browns' only touchdown in last week's 13-10 victory at Miami.

His only other 100-yard game came against the Browns in 2007.
The former Georgia standout was a first-round draft pick -- 32nd overall -- by Bill Belichick's New England Patriots in 2004. That was the year the Browns chose another tight end, Kellen Winslow, sixth overall.

"I didn't know if I was going to be drafted, period," Watson said. "I remember sitting there and just praying that whatever God has for me to happen, and I didn't get any calls from anybody else the whole round. And then I got a call from New England five hours after the draft started."

But Watson's rookie season was a bust. A torn knee ligament forced him to miss all but one game of the Patriots' Super Bowl season. He was shelved with just two catches for 16 yards.

The Browns signed the unrestricted free agent in March to what ESPN reported at the time was a three-year, $12 million contract, with $6.35 million of that guaranteed.

They were pretty sure what they might be getting for their money. Watson had spent the previous six seasons in New England, where Browns coach Eric Mangini and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll got a good sense of what the guy could do.

So when Watson was signed, Browns General Manager Tom Heckert said he considered him the top free-agent tight end available, not just for his hands but his blocking, too.

And he has played like it.

With 50 catches, Watson is tied for first among AFC tight ends -- and tied for fifth among all tight ends. Such production puts him on par with San Diego scoring machine and converted Kent State basketballer Antonio Gates and Winslow, now with Tampa Bay.

With the Browns this season, Watson has evolved into more than a passer's third option just because the wideouts are covered.

"He's extremely fast and, obviously, catches the ball very well, but he's very, very intelligent, extremely intelligent," said Browns quarterback Jake Delhomme. "We move him around a good bit, and he has a very good sense of coverages. That's very impressive about him."

Watson is third in team scoring with three touchdowns and second in receptions, behind only running back Peyton Hillis. He also leads the Browns with 574 receiving yards.

There's no reason to expect anything different from Watson in Buffalo Sunday. Maybe especially because it's Buffalo.

He has been kind of a Bills-killer, with 23 catches and four touchdowns in seven games in his career.

Watson has already set a career high with the 50 catches. His previous best was 49 with the Patriots in 2006. He also snared the longest pass of his career this season, a 44-yarder from Seneca Wallace in the loss to Kansas City.

But it's also his ability to move bodies without the ball that leaves teammates impressed.

"Sometimes it's hard to try to find a tight end who can block and also can catch and do everything," Wallace said. "He's one of those guys. When you find those, they're a rare bunch."

"He's the total package," said total package Josh Cribbs.

Even more noteworthy is that Watson has compiled solid numbers this season despite the Browns' injury-ridden quarterback carousel. With the Patriots, it was quarterback Tom Brady at the command, period.

"I've never been on a team that's gone through this many quarterbacks," Watson said. "It's definitely unique, I think, in that way. I think it's a tribute to the coaching staff and to the guys that are playing offense, and to the quarterbacks."

His numbers rival past Pro Bowlers Gates and Winslow. And he's just a handful of catches short of Atlanta's Tony Gonzalez, a future Hall of Fame tight end. Then thoughts of making the Pro Bowl himself this season must be creeping in, right?

"Nah," said Watson, who said he was flattered the subject even comes up. "We've got four games to play. We just want to win. All those things kinda come after."

http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2010/12/cleveland_browns_ben_watson_is.html

And I'm sure Watson is less expensive and a better locker room presents

this video shows the kind of player Big Ben Watson is....enjoy!

http://www.nfl.com/videos/new-england-patriots/09000d5d8057aec3

Oh, maaaaan!

As soon as that play began, I said: "I remember this! This was insane!!!"

I'd forgotten all about it, and didn't remember that it was Ben Watson, either. Thanks for posting this, Huck. Made my day.


Ain't it great to have a guy like this on OUR team?

He dropped a lot of passes for the Pats.

Suh-weet! Thanks, Huck