The answer couldn’t have been written better by Bill Belichick himself.
The Patriots play the Chiefs, Waters’s former team, tonight at Gillette Stadium. Of all of the veteran signings and acquisitions the Patriots made once the NFL lockout ended - and there were more than a dozen - Waters was by far the best.
Released by Kansas City after 11 seasons with the team, a stint that included five Pro Bowl nods, two All-Pro selections, and the 2009 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, Waters came to New England Sept. 4, eight days before the season opener in Miami, and more than a month after being released.
Not only was he asked to learn a new offense, he also flipped sides, moving from his customary left guard spot to the right, filling the void left by Stephen Neal’s retirement.
And he’s been superb, the Patriots’ best offensive lineman this season. The website Pro Football Focus has Waters rated as the fifth-best guard in the league, and according to its metrics, he’s the third-best pass blocker at the position.
Ask anyone within the Patriots organization about Waters and his professionalism is always at the top of the list.
“He’s really a professional, you know?’’ Tom Brady said Friday. “I’m just in the cafeteria and he’s in there with his playbook open and going through all his calls and making sure that he knows everything that he needs to do. So to come from a different offense, a different place, and to really step in and contribute the way that he has, it really speaks a lot about him and what his character is. He’s done a great job.’’
“He’s a really good guy,’’ fellow guard Logan Mankins said. “Good player, good guy to be around, great teammate. He’s a pro’s pro. He’s here for one goal, and that’s to win football games and play good football.’’
In the locker room during the week, Waters faced a slew of questions about tonight’s game, and his feelings on facing the Chiefs.
