Patriots Sign Team Captain to Contract Extension

The New England Patriots will be keeping linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley in the Foxboro fold for the foreseeable future.

FOXBORO — The New England Patriots have provided some security to one of its most prominent starters on defense. 

Linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley, per a Thursday afternoon NFL Network report, has agreed to a two-year contract extension with the club, worth $18.75 million, of which $9 million is guaranteed. 

The extension was reported less than 24 hours since the Pats agreed to a three-year, $33 million extension with receiver DeVante Parker. 

For the past few seasons, Bentley emerged as the leading candidate to secure a prominent role in the team’s front seven. As such, he not only became New England’s starting off-the-ball linebacker, he also accepted the responsibilities of being the team’s defensive play caller. However, Bentley did not simply inherit the role by default. Since his rookie season in 2018, the 26-year-old had exhibited a heightened ability to communicate effectively with his teammates. In fact, Bentley occasionally wore the communication device in his helmet throughout his first two years in the league, a task typically reserved for former Pats captain, and fellow middle linebacker Dont’a Hightower.

Prior to the 2020 season, Bentley was voted a defensive team captain by his teammates, solidifying him as a team leader. Though he ceded the captainship to Hightower for 2021, he returned to the ranks in 2022. He finished the year with 62 solo tackles (125 combined,) six quarterback hits, three sacks and one fumble recovery. 

This season, Bentley is expected to be used not just as an early-down run defender, but also in coverage. While several players are capable of playing off the ball in New England this year, Bentley’s leadership and experience make him a valuable piece to the Pats roster. Although he is at his best when deployed as an inside linebacker, Bentley’s communication skills and knowledge of the team’s package-specific roles will keep him on the field more often than not. 

With Mack Wilson, Anfernee Jennings and Josh Uche likely to play on and off the line this year, the Patriots will have a great deal of options. As such, the team is likely to use Bentley in a more specialized role, which should accentuate his skill set. He should see a majority of his snaps in downhill run defense, while also dropping into coverage, and aiding the pass rush. 

In addition to Uche, Wilson and Jennings, Bentley is joined on the Pats depth chart at linebacker by Matthew Judon, Jahlani Tavai, Ronnie Perkins and Terez Hall. 

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