New England Patriots 2021 linebacker playbook: Who stays, who goes

Ja’Whaun Bentley

Ja’Whaun Bentley was arguably the Patriot’s most consistent linebacker in 2020. He logged in a solid 91 tackles and 1.5 sacks while playing in 13 games. Those are good statistics for an inside linebacker and while Bentley isn’t a game-breaker, he is certainly a solid rotational NFL linebacker.

Ja’Whaun Bentley’s story is a solid and successful one. He was drafted in the fifth round by New England in 2018. And it can easily be said that he has exceeded expectations.

He has become a starting level player and that’s more than can be said for lots of New England Patriots’ draftees, high picks or not. He’s also a productive player. He’s young and he’s not going anywhere.

Ja’Whaun Bentley is an NFL starter, but is he right for the New England Patriots?

Bentley can start on your team, but he needs a superior player to complement him if you are going to be a playoff team. New England doesn’t seemingly have that player on their roster at present at linebacker as they don’t in any number of positions.

The problem for New England is that while players like Bentley belong in the league and on the New England Patriots squad, there are no super talents that can lead the unit and make all of the players around them better.

New England has a number of linebackers on the squad, as they do in several positional units on the team, that at present are just rotational, back-up level players. Outside of Hightower in the past, they are what they are.

Some are solid players, like Bentley, but there are no Pro-Bowl level players and certainly no budding superstars apparently on board. But Bentley is a  solid participant and may get even better.

Ja’Whaun Bentley stays.