Patriots Add Linebacker Depth, Sign LB Dekoda Watson

Patriots Add Linebacker Depth, Sign LB Dekoda Watson

Steve Balestrieri

Dekoda Watson will add quality depth to the Patriots linebackers as well as Special Teams. Versatile, he's played both SAM and WILL LB positions

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Lot of speed.
Ran a 4.40 40 at 240 pounds. (That's faster than Byron Jones, workout warrior corner, for example.)
Big special teams contributor.

Huge emphasis on special teams this offseason.
Franchise tag on Gostkowski.
The immediate re-signings of Bolden, Fleming, White.
The free agent targets of Chekwa and others.
The drafting of Jordan Richards, Cardona, Matthew Wells.
Even prioritizing McCourty, who plays special teams, above Revis, who does not.

I tried to find youtube video of him and only could find FSU video.

They showed interest in him last off-season. Similar to Jonathan Casillas, at least in terms of speed and athleticism.

manxman2601 said:

They showed interest in him last off-season. Similar to Jonathan Casillas, at least in terms of speed and athleticism.

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Can he cover?

Apparently, Belichick chose Watson instead of Fletcher or Spikes to fill the Casillas role. That gives us
Mayo, Hightower, Collins, Watson and White as our likely linebackers. Of course, one or more of the DE's could also be called upon for some linebacker play, especially the three newcomers (Sheard, Grissom and Flowers).

Of course several others will try to win a spot: Wells, ****son, Gordon and Freeney.

So, as was likely in March, Belichick did fine in replacements and upgrades at DE, DT, DE/OLB, LB, and S, with competition (or injury insurance) at each position.
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Some are giving Belichick's draft an A or B for improving at 5 defensive positions. Other give him a C for his action at our most serious position of need. We are a special place. It is only on patriots message boards that it makes any sense to have cut Arrington and Dennard, after losing Revis and Browner. This does remind me of the cutting of James Sanders.