Patriots TE Martellus Bennett wants to continue playing career
Last season was a rough one for veteran tight end Martellus Bennett. After parting ways with the New England Patriots and joining the Green Bay Packers, everything went downhill for a player that was once considered to be among the best at his position in the NFL.
Following an ugly divorce with the Packers and briefly contemplating retirement, Bennett rejoined the Patriots before being shut down for the year due to injury. Now the 30-year-old is under contract with New England for next season with a roster bonus coming his way in March, but it remains uncertain whether the team will keep him.
As for Bennett, the veteran tight end wants to continue playing in the NFL, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
Despite publicly contemplating retirement last season, #Patriots TE Martellus Bennett does want to continue playing, I’m told. He’s due a $2M roster bonus on March 14, so New England has a decision… but his $6.2M cap hit isn’t bad.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) 23 February 2018
The Patriots are currently in a tough position as the immediate future of All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski remains up in the air at the moment. After losing to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII, news surfaced about Gronkowski seriously considering retirement. The perennial Pro Bowl is reportedly considering an acting career and has grown tired of the grind and toll the NFL season has taken on his body.
If Gronkowski is leaning toward retirement, keeping Bennett in New England is without a doubt a smart decision for the storied franchise. Bennett had one of the best seasons of his career in the NFL with New England back in 2016. He caught 55 passes for 701 yards and seven touchdowns helping lead the team to a Super Bowl title that year.
The Patriots are currently favored to win it all next season and securing the tight end position with or without Gronkowski is a smart move for Bill Belichick and company.
