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Report: Benjamin Watson to sign with Patriots

Grant Halverson / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Benjamin Watson is coming out of retirement and heading home.

The veteran tight end plans to sign with the New England Patriots after a visit Thursday, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports.

Watson will ink a one-year contract worth $3 million, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

The 38-year-old spent six seasons with New England after the Patriots drafted him in the first round of the 2004 draft. He retired in December after a 15-year career split between the Patriots, Cleveland Browns, New Orleans Saints, and Baltimore Ravens.

He's just three years removed from a career season in which he caught 74 passes for 825 yards and six touchdowns. He racked up 400 yards and two scores on 35 passes with the Saints in 2018.

New England lost star tight end Rob Gronkowski to retirement this offseason; Watson will likely join Austin Seferian-Jenkins and Stephen Anderson in a combined effort to replace the future Hall of Famer's production.

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