Free agency: Ja’Whaun Bentley may prove too expensive for Patriots

Ja’Whaun Bentley is coming off a career year, leading the Patriots in both tackles and forced fumbles.

Ja’Whaun Bentley is one of the New England Patriots’ 16 unrestricted free agents to hit the market this offseason.

The 25-year-old was selected in the fifth round of the 2018 draft and he’s consistently improved each year. This past season, Bentley was the Patriots’ leader in tackles (109) and forced fumbles (3). There’s immense value in bringing him back next season, but the list of Patriots free agents and lack of cap space makes it tricky.

J.C. Jackson, Dont’a Hightower, Devin McCourty, Matthew Slater, Trent Brown, Ted Karras, Jamie Collins, James White and Brandon Bolden are some of the other players who will hit the market. Can the Patriots afford to bring back a player who has only made a little over $3 million in his career?

Let’s dive into it.

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