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Patriots sign tight end Ben Watson, 7 of 10 draft picks

Benjamin Watson (#84) of the New England Patriots runs with the ball at Wembley Stadium on October 25, 2009 in London, England. This is the third occasion where a regular season NFL match has been played in London. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - The New England Patriots have signed veteran tight end Ben Watson and seven of their 10 draft choices.

New England announced the signings Friday. The Patriots inked deals with second-round defensive back JoeJuan Williams, offensive linemen Yodny Cajuste and Hjalte Froholdt, quarterback Jarrett Stidham, defensive linemen Byron Cowart, punter Jake Bailey and defensive back Ken Webster.

Related: Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski retires after nine seasons in the NFL

Watson is returned to the team he spent six years with after being drafted in the first round out of Georgia in 2004. He also spent time with the Browns, Saints and Ravens during his 15 NFL seasons.

Watson has played in 195 regular-season games with 135 starts and has 530 receptions for 5,885 yards with 44 touchdowns. He has appeared in 12 postseason games with nine starts and totaled 22 receptions for 234 yards and three touchdowns.

Associated Press

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