The New England Patriots signed a new running back who has a fascinating story.
The Pats announced the signing of Shane Watts, who also has a fantastic name.
Watts went undrafted this year, but that’s not necessarily surprising.
He played college football at Fort Hays State, a Division II school in Kansas.
Watts also began his college career as a defensive back.
He switched to running back for his final two seasons.
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In 2024, Watts put up 1,752 all-purpose yards. He found the end zone 17 times.
Watts takes the place on New England’s roster of Deneric Prince, who signed just a few days ago and was waived.
The Patriots’ running back depth chart is led by veteran Rhamondre Stevenson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson. It also includes Antonio Gibson, Terrell Jennings and JaMycal Hasty.
Watts is an interesting player to get an eye on for Mike Vrabel and his staff.
His background as a defensive player actually makes Watts seem like an ideal candidate for a depth RB who gets a lot of snaps on special teams.
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He also might have a chance at gaining ground quickly as a running back given that he hasn’t played that position for very long. He might still have more room to grow.
Watts could also be a player who is waived by this time next week.
It’s a frequent roster movement part of the NFL summer, so nothing in that realm ends up being particularly surprising at the bottom of the roster.
But Watts has a cool story, and it’d be fun if the Pats found a way to keep him around.
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