Jets Linked To 'Consistent Presence' Cut By Patriots

The New York Jets can strengthen their defense by signing a former New England Patriots linebacker.

The Patriots released Ja'Whaun Bentley on March 28.

Bentley, a 2018 fifth-round pick from Purdue, played only two games in 2024 for New England, recording 12 combined tackles before suffering a torn pectoral muscle in New England's Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, which sidelined Bentley for the remainder of the season.

Despite the injury, Bentley's experience and reliability make him an intriguing option for the Jets, as Connor Long of Jets X-Factor recently noted.

"Bentley remains one of the more intriguing names still available on the open market," Long wrote. "Bentley started 68 of 83 games over seven seasons with the Patriots ... (including) a strong 2023 campaign in which Bentley served as a consistent presence in the middle of New England’s defense. He started all 16 games that season, tallying 114 total tackles (five for loss) while adding 4.5 sacks, 12 quarterback hits, three pass deflections, and a forced fumble. At 28 years old, Bentley offers the kind of experience and stability that could prove valuable to the Jets, who have questionable depth at linebacker behind Quincy Williams and Jamien Sherwood."

Bentley's career missed tackle rate of 9.2 percent is notably better than the positional average and outperforms the 2024 rates of Jets starters Quincy Williams (12.7 percent) and Jamien Sherwood (10.7 percent). While not a star, Bentley’s physicality as a run defender and reliable tackling could make him a valuable rotational piece or injury insurance for the Jets’ defense.