Patriots Sign Jarrett Stidham, Three Other Draft Picks
The day after signing Benjamin Watson, the Patriots have wrapped up most of their draft class. The team announced the signing of four of their remaining picks today. After inking second round pick Joejuan Williams and two others yesterday, only first round receiver N’Keal Harry and third-rounders defensive end Chase Winovich and running back Damien Harris remain unsigned.
- 4-118: OL Hjalte Froholdt (Arkansas)
- 4-133: QB Jarrett Stidham (Auburn)
- 5-163: P Jake Bailey (Stanford)
- 7:252: CB Ken Webster (Ole Miss)
The Patriots’ drafting of Stidham of course raised some eyebrows because of the position he plays. Stidham had a down year at Auburn in 2018, but many observers chalked that up more to the poor offense he was playing in rather than anything he was doing wrong. After his 2017 season the former Baylor transfer was thought of as a potential Day 2 pick, but his stock took a bit of a tumble last year. 
He’ll now get the chance to develop behind Tom Brady, and could potentially position himself as the heir apparent if he shows well. The Patriots have drafted a handful of quarterbacks in recent years, as early as the second round with Jimmy Garoppolo back in 2014. They drafted Jacoby Brissett in the third round in 2016, and both quarterbacks ended up getting traded.
Bailey was a bit of a surprising pick in the fifth round because the Patriots already had an established punter. Ryan Allen has been the team’s punter since 2013, and he just recently re-signed with the team in March. The drafting of Bailey so early would seem to suggest they aren’t entirely sold on Allen.
Froholdt is a Denmark native who has a lot of experience at both guard and center. New England has invested heavily at center this offseason, and Froholdt could be a nice developmental piece.
Patriots To Sign Dontrelle Inman
The Patriots have agreed to sign wide receiver Dontrelle Inman, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Terms of the deal are not yet known, but it’s likely a one-year pact for the Pats and the veteran.
The 6’3″, 205-pound Inman gives the Patriots yet another receiver to consider this offseason. He becomes the eleventh wide-receiver on the club’s 90-man roster, joining Julian Edelman, N’Keal Harry, Phillip Dorsett, Braxton Berrios, Demaryius Thomas, Maurice Harris, Damoun Patterson, Jakobi Meyers, Ryan Davis, and Xavier Ubosi.
Inman spent the first few years of his career with the Chargers, but has bounced around since the start of the 2017 season. After starting out with the Bolts in ’17, he hooked on with the Bears. Then, last year, he joined the Colts as a free agent where he caught 28 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns.
The Lions considered Inman earlier this offseason, but he’s joining up with the defending champs instead.
Patriots Sign Three Draft Picks
The Patriots have signed three members of their 2019 draft class: second-round cornerback Joejuan Williams (Twitter link via Doug Kyed of NESN), third-round offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste (Twitter link via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle), and fifth-round defensive tackle Byron Cowart (Twitter link via Nick Underhill of The Athletic). has signed his rookie contract with the Patriots, according to Doug Kyed of NESN (Twitter link).
Williams is an exceptionally tall at 6’4″, and there’s at least some question as to how he’ll be deployed in New England. Over the past decade, only one cornerback — Brandon Browner — has started an NFL game at a height of 6’4″ or taller. Browner, of course, spent the 2014 campaign with the Patriots, leading to speculation that Williams could be used in a similar fashion.
Lance Zierlien of NFL.com praised Williams’ size in a pre-draft profile, but noted the Vanderbilt product’s lack of speed and ball skills. For now, Williams is behind Stephon Gilmore, Jason McCourty, Jonathan Jones, and J.C. Jackson on the Patriots’ secondary depth chart.
Cajuste isn’t likely to see much action during his rookie campaign given that the Patriots are set at tackle with Isaiah Wynn and Marcus Cannon, but the West Virginia product couldn’t have asked for a better developmental destination than New England, where he’ll get to work under revered offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia.
Patriots Sign Benjamin Watson
Benjamin Watson‘s Thursday visit with the Patriots will lead to a reunion. Ending a brief retirement, Watson plans to sign with the defending Super Bowl champions, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This will be a one-year, $3MM deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
Watson signed the contract, according to Ben Volin of the Boston Globe (on Twitter).
The Patriots drafted the tight end in the first round of the 2004 draft and look set to turn to him as one of their post-Rob Gronkowski solutions. This will be quite the interesting reunion, considering Watson is nine years older than Gronkowski and preceded the future Hall of Famer in intentions to retire less than six months ago.
Word surfaced shortly before the draft that Watson was not set on leaving the game behind, and Gronk’s retirement naturally made New England a logical destination. Watson also had the Chiefs, Bills and 49ers on his radar (after the Saints signed Jared Cook) and will join Austin Seferian-Jenkins as key components of the Pats’ tight end corps.
He spent six years with the Pats, leaving after the 2009 season to sign with the Browns. Watson has since played for the Ravens and enjoyed multiple Saints stints. A month after Watson initially left New England, the Pats added Gronk and reshaped their dynasty. Now as they look to further prolong it, they will turn to a 38-year-old veteran.
Only a few tight ends, including Antonio Gates last season, have played past their 38th birthdays. No pure tight end, discounting long snappers, has suited up past his 39th. Watson turns 39 in December. Only Watson and Larry Fitzgerald remain in the league as skill-position players from the ’04 draft.
Watson finished last season with 35 receptions for 400 yards and two touchdowns. While he will not be mistaken for Gronkowski, the former Super Bowl winner has obviously displayed remarkable staying power and stands to team with ASJ to help out in filling the void Gronk’s retirement created. A former No. 32 overall pick, Watson caught six of Tom Brady‘s 50 touchdown passes in 2007 and, amazingly, will be called upon to help in the quarterback’s age-42 season.
Patriots Meet With Ben Watson
Former Saints tight end Ben Watson, who previously said he would retire, will meet with the Patriots on Thursday, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). Watson isn’t putting all of his eggs into the Patriots’ basket, either – he’s also considering the Chiefs, Bills and, 49ers, according to Schefter. 
Watson is a free agent following the expiration of his one-year, $2MM Saints contract. He played four of the past six seasons with the Saints, who since replaced him with pricey free agent Jared Cook.
Watson played the 2017 season with the Ravens, missing all of 2016 due to injury, and spent the first three years of this decade in Cleveland. Unfortunately, his 2018 season ended a bit early when he missed the NFC championship game due to appendicitis. He caught 35 passes for 400 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season.
Now, he could return to where it all began. Watson spent the first six years of his career with the Patriots after entering the league as the final first-round pick in the 2004 draft. After Rob Gronkowski‘s retirement, the Pats could certainly use the help, even if Watson doesn’t offer the same upside as the party animal.
Patriots Cut WR Bruce Ellington
The Patriots’ partnership with Bruce Ellington ended up lasting barely a month. The defending Super Bowl champions cut the veteran wide receiver on Wednesday.
Ellington signed a one-year deal for $895K (with just $25K guaranteed), so this transaction will not be costly for the Patriots. This exit comes with an injury designation, per Mike Reiss of ESPN.com (on Twitter), helping to explain Ellington’s abrupt departure.
Ellington has bounced around the league during his five-year career but established somewhat of a steady role with the Texans. However, a long-term role has eluded him.
New England signed the slot receiver in March, adding Ellington and former Redskins pass catcher Maurice Harris. The Patriots drafted N’Keal Harry in the first round and added Demaryius Thomas, who is recovering from an Achilles tear, in April. Slot player Braxton Berrios remains on the roster after not playing as a rookie. The Patriots also signed two UDFA wideouts — Auburn’s Ryan Davis and NC State’s Jakobi Meyers, the latter a former quarterback who posted a 1,000-yard season as a senior — last week.
The Pats last year released a slew of free agent wideouts, with Jordan Matthews, Kenny Britt and Eric Decker departing before Week 1. Matthews and Decker did not play a down for the Patriots. It appears Ellington will follow that path.
After Ellington started six games for the 2017 Texans, hauling in a career-high 29 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns, he received his walking papers — via IR release — midway through the 2018 campaign. The Lions picked Ellington up and deployed him in three games.
Patriots To Sign Jared Veldheer
The Patriots are planning to sign free agent offensive tackle Jared Veldheer later this week, sources tell Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (on Twitter). The veteran met with the Pats last week and, days later, the two sides appear to have agreed on numbers. 
Once completed, it’ll be a one-year, $3.5MM deal with a maximum value of $6.5MM, according to Adam Caplan of SiriusXM (on Twitter).
A nine-year veteran, Veldheer started 12 games in Denver last season and graded as Pro Football Focus’ No. 58-rated tackle. Veldheer has more experience playing left tackle, having lined up there with the Raiders and Cardinals for several years. But, the Cards switched Veldheer and D.J. Humphries in 2017, moving him over to the right side. The 31-year-old (32 in June) may be a swing option for the Patriots in the upcoming year.
New England drafted third-round tackle Yodny Cajuste but lost Trent Brown and LaAdrian Waddle this offseason. Meanwhile, they have 2018 first-rounder Isaiah Wynn coming off a season-nullifying torn Achilles. All of this leaves them with a depth need that Veldheer can fill.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/6/19
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: DE Aaron Adeoye, CB Terrell Bonds, OT Darrell Williams
- Waived: DB Robertson Daniel, S Evan Worthington, OL C.J. Toogood
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OL Tommy Doles, DE Jalen Dalton
- Cut: DB Adarius Pickett, DE Lawrence Marshall
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Jhavonte Dean, RB Travon Gray, LB Willie Harvey
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed: WR Jawill Davis
- Signed: WR Darrius Shepherd, CB Chandon Sullivan
- Released: RB Lavon Coleman
Kansas City Chiefs
- Reserve/non-football injury list: DE Tim Ward
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: LB Bryce Hager
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Terrance Alexander, DE Stacy Keely, DB Isaiah Wharton
New England Patriots
- WR Xavier Ubosi
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Kenny Bigelow Jr., RB Devine Ozigbo, CB Jordan Wyatt
New York Giants
- Signed: G Austin Droogsma
New York Jets
- Waived: QB Brandon Silvers
Oakland Raiders
- Signed: P A.J. Cole, DT Ronald Ollie
- Waived: P Drew Kaser, OL Jamar McGloster
San Francisco 49ers
- Claimed: OL Willie Beavers,
- Signed: LB LaRoy Reynolds, RB Austin Walter
- Waived: RB Matthew Dayes, DL Ryan Delaire
Patriots Sign 10 UDFAs
The Patriots have added 10 undrafted free agents. Here is the team’s full list:
- Calvin Anderson, OT (Texas)
- Andrew Beck, TE (Texas)
- Nick Brossette, RB (Louisiana State)
- Ryan Davis, WR (Auburn)
- Malik Gant, S (Marshall)
- Tyler Gauthier, OL (Texas)
- Terez Hall, LB (Missouri)
- Jakobi Meyers, WR (NC State)
- D’Angelo Ross, CB (New Mexico)
- Tyree St. Louis, OT (Miami)
The Patriots also announced the signing of defensive lineman Nick Thurman, who was a 2018 undrafted free agent out of Houston.
The Patriots surprised some when they didn’t draft a rookie tight end to replace Rob Gronkowski. However, the team seemingly has high hopes for Beck; Ben Volin of the Boston Globe reports (via Twitter) that the Patriots gave the Texas product $115K in guaranteed money (the highest among the team’s undrafted free agents). The former linebacker had a breakout offensive season in 2018, hauling in 28 receptions for 281 yards and two touchdowns.
The team also gave $85K guaranteed to both Gant and Hall. Gant, a former walk-on at Marshall, finished his collegiate career with a pair of standout seasons, including a 2018 campaign where he tallied 95 tackles and two interceptions. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Hall was equally productive at Missouri, where he finished 2018 with 71 tackles and five sacks.
Considering New England’s lack of receiver depth, the team’s signing of Meyers is noteworthy. The former quarterback transitioned to wideout back in 2016, all leading to a 2018 season where he hauled in 92 receptions for 1,047 yards and four scores.
Patriots Sign LB Shilique Calhoun
The Patriots have signed linebacker Shilique Calhoun, as Mike Reiss of ESPN.com tweets. In a corresponding move, the club has cut offensive tackle Ryker Mathews.
Calhoun was selected by the Raiders in the third round of the 2016 draft, but he never started a game for Oakland. In fact, he was waived during final cutdowns in September 2017, went unclaimed, and was subsequently re-signed to the Raiders’ practice squad. He ended up playing in nine games in 2017 and seven games last year, but he has been more of a special teams contributor than anything else. He was non-tendered by Oakland last month.
As Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk observes, Calhoun is the first player with NFL experience added to New England’s linebacking corps this offseason. He will likely compete for a rotational role on defense and for a spot on the Pats’ special teams unit.
For his career, Calhoun has 23 tackles and a half-sack.