The Patriots will be without a defensive captain for the rest of the season. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that Ja’Whaun Bentley is out for the year with a torn pectoral muscle.
The former fifth-round pick has turned into one of New England’s most dependable defenders, topping 100 tackles in each of the past three seasons. Bentley has also shown some pass rush ability in recent years, collecting a combined 7.5 sacks between the 2022 and 2023 campaigns.
Bentley started each of the Patriots two games this season. The linebacker appeared to have suffered his injury while trying to get around Seahawks OL Anthony Bradford late in the first quarter of Sunday’s contest. He stayed in the game for one more snap before exiting, per ESPN’s Mike Reiss. Raekwon McMillan soaked up all of Bentley’s snaps in the eventual loss, and the former second-round pick could be in line for an expanded role moving forward.
The Patriots could also get creative with their linebacker grouping. Anfernee Jennings and Josh Uche have generally been used as pass-rushing weakside linebackers, but that duo could be called upon in the middle. The team also has UDFA Curtis Jacobs, who is the current strongside option behind Jahlani Tavai.
Either way, the Patriots will be hard pressed to replicate Bentley’s production. With Christian Barmore also expected to miss the 2024 campaign, the organization is stressing their defensive depth early on.