Star Defender Could be Done With Patriots

The New England Patriots could ultimately cut bait with this star defender during the NFL offseason.

New England Patriots linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley (8) runs onto the field before the NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

The New England Patriots suffered a very critical blow early in the 2024 NFL season, as linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley went down with a torn pectoral muscle in Week 2.

Now, there is deliberation as to whether or not Bentley will even be on the roster in 2025.

Bleacher Report's Alex Ballentine put together a list of every team's top three cut candidates heading into the offseason, and Bentley made the list for the Patriots.

"It wouldn't be surprising if the Patriots wind up keeping Ja'Whaun Bentley. As previously noted, they have plenty of money to spend, and Mike Vrabel might prefer to keep the veteran linebacker for the middle of the defense," Ballentine wrote. "That being said, Vrabel could prefer to bring in someone else who fits his vision for an off-ball linebacker. If that's the case, the Patriots could decide that the $4.6 million in cap space that would come with cutting Bentley is worth it."

New England has ample cap room going into free agency, but it never hurts to open up more money, especially if a team feels a player is not capable of performing at a high level anymore.

Bentley, who played his collegiate football at Purdue, was selected by the Pats in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

He became a full-time starter for the Patriots in 2020, logging 91 tackles and 1.5 sacks. Then, between 2021 and 2023, Bentley posted three straight campaigns of over 100 tackles, topping out at 125 stops in 2022.

There is no doubt that the 28-year-old has served a crucial role in New England's defense, but given the fact that he is coming off of a serious injury and that he will be 29 by the start of next season, the Pats may seriously weigh whether or not it's worth it to keep him around.

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