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Analytics are offering a good clue as to why the New England Patriots made linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley a priority in his recent two-year contract extension.
Per ESPN analytics, via Mike Reiss’ Sunday notes column, Bentley ranks second among 89 linebackers with a 39.5 percent run stop win rate since 2018.
However, that was not the only metric where he really stood out. He ranked eighth-best in coverage last season out of 55 linebackers in only allowing 5.4 yards per target. This is notable due to his increase in coverage snaps throughout the course of his career. He only had 61 coverage snaps in his rookie season of 2018. He passed the 200-snap threshold in 2020 and recorded a career-high 341 coverage snaps in 2022.
The coverage element of his game could be important, as New England faces juggernaut offenses in the 2023 season. The Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, new-look New York Jets and Buffalo Bills are all on the schedule. These days, many linebackers are coverage-oriented as opposed to old-school downhill tacklers.
If anything, these numbers speak to Bentley’s versatility at the position and his growth as a football player. He is quietly becoming one of the more underrated linebackers in the league and is in line for a strong 2023 season.
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