Patriots Defender Making Big Physical Changes

This New England Patriots defender is undergoing some significant physical changes to prepare for the 2025 NFL season.

Nov 5, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley (8) celebrates after sacking Washington Commanders quarterback Sam Howell (14) during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots have long been known as a stout defensive ballclub, but this past season, their defense sprung some serious leaks.

While much of that was due to a lack of top-level talent at every level, injuries also played a role, and one of the most significant Patriots players to get hurt in 2024 was linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley.

Bentley played in just two games before tearing his pectoral muscle, which left a gaping hole in the middle of the field for New England's defense.

The 28-year-old remains an important piece for the Pats, but here's the thing: new head coach Mike Vrabel tends to prioritize lighter, faster linebackers, which is why Bentley is making a change.

Mike Giardi of The Boston Sports Journal has reported that Bentley—who weighed around 250 pounds this past season—has dropped some weight. As a matter of fact, he has already lost over 10 pounds, indicating that the veteran is getting with Vrabel's program.

This should definitely help Bentley in Vrabel's new defense, but as Bernd Buchmasser of Pats Pulpit points out, we will have to see how he fits into the scheme.

"How his role will change with Vrabel and defensive coordinator Terrell Williams rebuilding the defense from a schematic perspective remains to be seen," Buchmasser wrote. "The longtime captain seemingly is not taking any chances, though: moving from his listed weight of 250 to around 230 pounds should help him meet the requirements to earn a role on defense."

Dropping 20 pounds would be a massive change for Bentley, and how it would affect his own play style would certainly be interesting to see.

During his last fully healthy campaign in 2023, the former fifth-round pick racked up 114 tackles and 4.5 sacks. He posted over 100 tackles in three straight seasons before 2024.

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