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Baltimore Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson tears Achilles tendon

By John Buhler

Jul 31, 2016; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson (82) speaks with tight end Nick Boyle (86) on the field during the morning session of training camp at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 31, 2016; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson (82) speaks with tight end Nick Boyle (86) on the field during the morning session of training camp at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Veteran NFL tight end Benjamin Watson of the Baltimore Ravens has torn his Achilles tendon in Baltimore’s third preseason game versus the Detroit Lions.

According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, “Baltimore Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson has torn his Achilles tendon.” This season-ending injury for Watson came early in the Ravens’ third preseason game versus the Detroit Lions on Saturday evening.

2016 was Watson’s first NFL season in Baltimore, as the 12-year NFL veteran tight end had spent the previous three NFL seasons with the NFC South’s New Orleans Saints. Watson was a former first round pick by the New England Patriots back in the 2004 NFL Draft out of the University of Georgia.

Watson spent six seasons in New England before joining the Cleveland Browns in 2010. He spent three years with the Browns before joining the Saints in 2013. Watson has 434 career receptions for 4,963 yards and 38 touchdown receptions. He was coming off his best season as a professional with the 2015 Saints. Watson had career highs in catches (74), receiving yards (825), and touchdown receptions (six).

Though Watson has never been a 1,000-yard receiver at tight end, he’s been a reliable pass catcher his entire 12-year career. Losing Watson for all of 2016 is devastating news for a Ravens roster that lacks explosiveness on the offensive side of the ball.

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With Watson turning 36 years old in December, this could very well be the end of his NFL career. It really all depends on the severity of his torn Achilles tendon. It certainly means that he will not play in 2016.

Baltimore has looked to add reliable targets in the middle of the field for quarterback Joe Flacco. The Ravens might have a better year of health offensively than in 2016, but will have to play the season without Watson.

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