The Sports Xchange

The New England Patriots re-signed linebacker Dekoda Watson on Wednesday.

Watson, 27, was released by the Patriots on Aug. 31 after he was signed as a free agent on May 12. The 6-foot-2, 245-pounder, has played in 70 NFL games, with seven starts, and has registered 120 tackles, three sacks, one interception, four passes defensed, two forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries during his five-year NFL career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2010-13), Jacksonville Jaguars (2014) and Dallas Cowboys (2014).

Last season, Watson began the season with Jacksonville and appeared in nine games with one start. He posted nine tackles before being released on Nov. 11, 2014, and then signed with Dallas on Nov. 14, 2014. He played in one game for the Cowboys, but did not accrue any statistics. He originally entered the NFL as a seventh-round draft pick by Tampa Bay in 2010 out of Florida State.

In addition, the Patriots signed linebacker Eric Martin to the practice squad and released linebacker Alex Singleton and defensive lineman Jimmy Staten from the practice squad.

Martin, 24, made the 53-man roster out of training camp and played in the opening game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sept. 10 before being released on Sept. 12. He was originally signed to the Patriots’ practice squad on Dec. 29, 2014. The 6-2, 250-pounder entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with New Orleans out of Nebraska on April 28, 2013.

Singleton, 21, originally entered the NFL as a rookie free agent with the Seattle Seahawks on May 2 out of Montana State. He was released by Seattle on Sept. 5 and was signed to the New England practice squad on Sept. 9.

Staten, 24, originally entered the NFL as a fifth-round draft pick by Seattle out of Middle Tennessee State in 2014. He spent the majority of last season on the Seattle practice squad. He was signed to the Patriots’ practice squad on Sept. 7.