After bringing back Benjamin Watson Monday, New England signed former New York Jet and Giant Eric Tomlinson to join Ryan Izzo on the team’s tight end depth chart according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Unlike Watson, who is an accomplished pass catcher, Tomlinson, who is listed at 6-foot-6, 253 pounds, is mostly a blocker, filling a need as Izzo has struggled in that area. In 39 career games (25 starts), Tomlinson has 16 career catches for 193 yards and one touchdown. The Patriots play the Jets, who he played 36 of those games for, Monday.
The Klein, Texas native who was undrafted out of UTEP signed first with Philadelphia but didn’t make the Eagles roster out of camp in 2015. He spent most of that season on the Houston Texans practice squad. The Jets signed him to their active roster in November of 2016 and kept him through the 2018 season.
The Giants signed him in the offseason and he spent three games there this season before being cut Sept. 24.
The Patriots will have to make a roster move to accommodate both Watson and Tomlinson. One will fill the roster spot opened by Jakob Johnson going to injured reserve.
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