I don't recall any notes from the local beat reporters about how Watson looked in camp. My assumption is that he didn't really stand out all that much; I looked through the Globe archives but did not see anything notable, beyond his concussion in game 3. His preseason stat line was 3 targets, 2 catches, 24 yards. But if anyone has any different recollections, it would be good to note.
I'm guessing there was a combination of a numbers crunch, cap crunch, and the fact that LaCosse and Izzo may very well give the team 90% of what Watson would give them at this stage of his career.
Few players have had much success after being released by the Pats. Anyway, too bad he couldn't have capped off a great career hoisting the Lombardi one final team in a Pats uniform.