Ja'Whaun Bentley

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Patriots placed LB Ja’Whaun Bentley (pectoral) on injured reserve.

Bentley was a mainstay in the Patriots’ linebacking corps, amassing more than 100 tackles in each of the previous three seasons in addition to being a defensive captain. It’s a massive blow to a Patriots team that derives its identity from the defensive side of the ball. Bentley departed from the team’s Week 2 game against the Seahawks with what was then being called a shoulder injury, although further testing revealed the torn pectoral. Bentley was playing the 2024 season on the first year of a new two-year contract that that keeps him tied to the Patriots through 2025, although the team does have an out at the end of this season $5.5 million in cap space.