Tag: Ja’whaun Bentley

Patriots LB Ja’Whaun Bentley defends Jerod Mayo amid criticism

Ja’Whaun Bentley weighed in on the criticism surrounding Jerod Mayo’s post-game comments

New England Patriots linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley stood up for Jerod Mayo, following the Patriots head coach’s controversial post-game comments after the Week 12 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

After taking blame for the loss, Mayo was asked at what point should some of the blame go on the players.

“Once those guys cross the white lines, there’s nothing I can do for them. There’s nothing any coach can do for them once they cross the white line,” said Mayo.

Those comments drew a lot of criticism from fans and talking heads in the media. Bentley, one of the Patriots’ 2024 team captains, weighed in on the topic in a social media post.

“No way y’all think that’s what he meant by that,” Bentley posted.

The Patriots and Mayo have been under a microscope all season considering it’s the team’s first venture in the post-Bill Belichick era. There has been enough criticism to go around, but on this particular issue, one of the key leaders of the team has Mayo’s back.

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Patriots announce new defensive captain on Wednesday

With Ja’Whaun Bentley on IR, a new defensive captain has been named for the Patriots

New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo officially announced that linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley was being placed on injured reserve Wednesday. He also named safety Kyle Dugger as a new team captain to fill in for Bentley, who will miss the rest of the 2024 season.

Dugger has been a key piece for the Patriots defense, recording 18 tackles, a sack and a forced fumble. He has stepped up as one of the leaders for the team after Devin McCourty retired.

The standout defensive back has been an integral part of the organization since he was drafted by the team in 2020. He has tallied 361 tackles and nine interceptions in his run with the Patriots.

The current team captains now include Dugger, Jacoby Brissett, Jabrill Peppers, Joe Cardona, David Andrews, Deatrich Wise Jr. and Bentley (IR).

Dugger signed a four-year, $58 million extension in the offseason. The Patriots gave him that contract with the full belief in his ability to be a foundational piece for their defense.

It’s no surprise Mayo and the coaching staff chose him as a team captain.

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Patriots LB Ja’Whaun Bentley makes first comments after season-ending injury

Ja’Whaun Bentley comments for the first time, following news of season-ending injury

New England Patriots linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley posted four words on social media, following the news of his season-ending injury.

“God don’t make mistakes,” Bentley wrote in an Instagram story.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the Patriots’ team captain is expected to miss the rest of the 2024 season with a torn pectoral muscle, which was suffered in Sunday’s loss against the Seattle Seahawks.

The injury news came as a surprise considering there was initial optimism that it wasn’t serious. However, according to Rapoport, the injury ended up being “worse than publicly known.”

Along with the four-word comment, Bentley also posted a reel with a video of himself giving a pre-game speech to his teammates.

“This game is real precious,” Bentley says in the video. “Understand the importance. Understand the people that would love to be in our position. And when we out here, bro, fly around. Fly around. Your discipline is going to make it happen.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/C__3ZWgN96A/?hl=en&img_index=1

https://twitter.com/RealianSteele6/status/1835831960461091012/

Losing Bentley is a huge blow to the Patriots defense.

They were already playing without star defensive tackle Christian Barmore, who is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with blood clots. Now, they’ll have to find a way to replace two of their best players along the defensive front.

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Patriots standout LB reportedly done for season with torn pec

This is crushing news for the Patriots defense….

New England Patriots linebacker and team captain Ja’Whaun Bentley is reportedly expected to miss the rest of the 2024 season with a torn pectoral muscle.

Bentley left Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks early with the injury and never returned. There was hope that he dodged a serious injury and would potentially be available for Thursday’s game against the New York Jets.

However, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the injury ended up being “worse than publicly known.”

Bentley being out is a huge loss for a Patriots defense that is already missing star defensive tackle Christian Barmore. He isn’t just one of the team’s best defenders, but he’s also the signal-caller for the defense.

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1835821714153902267/

Raekwon McMillan will likely be the next man up for the Patriots.

The defense showed resilience last year when dealing with key injuries in the secondary. Now, they’ll have to do the same with the defensive front this season.

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Patriots captain takes over Matthew Slater’s ‘aww yeah’ chant duties

The tradition is continuing in New England

The tradition of the “aww yeah” chant continued following the New England Patriots 16-10 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. Patriots legend Matthew Slater used to lead the chant, but this time, it was linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley stepping in for the now retired Slater.

Bentley has been a veteran staple of the defense for several years. He tallied a team-high 12 tackles and half a sack against the Bengals. The veteran was able to get pressure on the Bengals’ offensive line and make his presence felt on the field.

He also made his presence felt in the locker room, as he took over the chanting duties from Slater.

Week 1 was a big week in many ways as the Patriots secured their first victory of the season. It marked a new era of Patriots football and a solid building block in the post-Bill Belichick era.

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Patriots name six team captains for 2024 season

The 2024 team captains are set

The 2024 team captains are set for the New England Patriots.

On Monday, the team revealed that David Andrews, Jabrill Peppers, Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jacoby Brissett, Joe Cardona and Deatrich Wise Jr. are the new captains.

Andrews, Bentley and Wise are returning captains from the 2023 season. That group of players also included Mac Jones, Hunter Henry and Matthew Slater.

Jones was traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Slater rode off into the sunset in retirement. That helped set the stage for the new captains under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo.

https://twitter.com/Patriots/status/1830646870211006698

The Patriots are undergoing significant change in their first year without coach Bill Belichick. There have been major personnel and coaching staff changes ahead of a season filled with uncertainty. It’s a rebuilding year that is sure to come with disappointment and frustrations along the way.

But the team has made solid moves in the offseason to set themselves up nicely for the future. It all begins in Sunday’s road clash with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Matthew Judon jokingly gets roasted by teammate for GM skills

Patriots linebacker jokingly roasted Matthew Judon’s GM skills

New England Patriots linebacker Mathew Judon has been known to recruit and play the role of general manager on social media in an attempt to get marquee free agents to come to the Patriots.

Unfortunately, his efforts have not worked so far. Many have taken notice, with one teammate jokingly roasting him for his GM skills.

A Patriots fan on social media called the pass-rusher the “worst GM in the league.” Ja’Whaun Bentley agreed with the fan and jokingly posted a succinct answer on X.

It appears not even Judon is safe from his own teammates.

Free agency is still going strong, and New England still has an opportunity to make moves. If there was ever a time for Judon to redeem himself, it would be now.

The Patriots still need to address several areas, with options dwindling.

Patriots Week 12 inactives: Trent Brown, Kayshon Boutte IN vs Giants

Key players set to return for the Patriots against the Giants.

The bye week served the New England Patriots well enough to get key playmakers back in the lineup for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.

After a week of rest, the Patriots will have Trent Brown, J.C. Jackson, DeVante Parker and Ja’Whaun Bentley all back in the lineup. Rookie wide receiver Kayshon Boutte also received the nod over Jalen Reagor to play against the Giants.

Brown being back on the field should help boost a Patriots offensive line that struggled against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 10. The unit gave up five sacks in a game where quarterback Mac Jones was benched.

Here is the full list of inactives for both teams:

The Patriots will be as healthy as they’ve been in a while when facing the struggling Giants.

A loss would obviously help New England’s positioning in the 2024 NFL draft, but a victory could boost morale for the team and coaches in a season that has disappointed in ways never imagined.

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Patriots Week 10 inactives: Ja’Whaun Bentley OUT, Kayshon Boutte IN

Here is the full list of inactives for the Patriots in Week 10 against the Colts.

New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is officially active for the second time in the NFL season.

That’s the good news in the list of inactives released by the Patriots ahead of Sunday’s showdown with the Indianapolis Colts.

Given the number of injuries at wide receiver, including both DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne being out, there was hope that Boutte would get more opportunities on the field. That day seems to have finally arrived for the former LSU standout against a Colts defense that bends and breaks more than most.

However, the bad news for the Patriots is linebacker and team captain Ja’Whaun Bentley being ruled out for the game. Bentley has turned into one of the team’s most reliable playmakers, and not having him on the field against a run-heavy team like the Colts is a big loss.

Here is the full list of inactives for the game:

The Patriots’ dwindling roster due to health reasons can’t seem to catch a break. It has given them something else to be forced to overcome in Frankfurt on Sunday against an opponent that is clearly better than them on paper.

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3 standout stars showed hope for future in Patriots’ loss to Commanders

Hope can be found in these three standout stars from the Patriots-Commanders game.

How the mighty have fallen.

A Bill Belichick-coached team has lost a game to the Washington Commanders, led by second-year quarterback Sam Howell, who is essentially in his first season as a full-fledged starter.

The Patriots are now 2-7 and racing the other bottom-dwellers for a top-five draft pick in 2024.

The game on Sunday came down to the wire with the Patriots failing to come away with a victory at home in a 20-17 loss. In an otherwise disappointing performance, there were at least three players that stood out for the Patriots in the game.

These standout stars provide some hope for the future in a dismal present right now in New England.