Patriots news & rumors: Bennett shades Garoppolo; trade deadline buzz

Former New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett was never afraid to tell it like it is while he was an active player.  Now that he is out of the league, homeboy certainly isn’t holding back feelings about former teammates.

Appearing on Devin and Jason McCourty’s Double Coverage podcast, Bennett did not hold back where former Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is concerned.

Back in 2016, if you remember, Garoppolo started the first two games for the Patriots while Tom Brady was serving his four-game suspension due to Deflategate.  Garoppolo was rolling until he suffered a shoulder injury in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins.  He missed the following week and could’ve returned in Week 4.  However, the Patriots had to roll with Jacoby Brissett in a game the team lost against the Buffalo Bills.

Former Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett goes in on Jimmy Garoppolo

That is where Bennett weighed in about the toughness of Garoppolo as he considered him weak to say the least.

"“Bro, we lost two games [that season],” Bennett said, as transcribed NBC Sports Boston. “One of them was because Jimmy Garoppolo was being a [expletive]. He decided not to play right before the game. Jacoby (Brissett) came out and played with a [expletive] up thumb and played his heart out, but Jimmy was just being a [expletive] about it all.”"

Now, it is not the injury itself Bennett is shading Garoppolo about, it is when he made his decision not to play that peeved off the former Patriots tight end.  Bennett went on to say that due to Garoppolo’s last minute decision not to play, the team lost a game they shouldn’t have lost due to a lack of preparation.

Garoppolo has battled injuries consistently since his time with the San Francisco 49ers.  Some would call that bad luck, but it sounds like a former teammate like Bennett is calling it a lack of toughness.

Whatever it is, New England Patriots fans should pause where it comes to Mac Jones and the beating he takes almost weekly.  The rookie is certainly showcasing his toughness, which is an attribute Martellus Bennett would applaud.

NFL rumors: Patriots should still be buyers at NFL trade deadline

Whether the New England Patriots are buyers or sellers at the NFL Trade Deadline, there is a high probability Bill Belichick will maneuver a deal that steals NFL headlines.

Perhaps that already happened with the team trading Stephon Gilmore to the Carolina Panthers for basically a bag of chips, but that trade did open some cap flexibility for the Patriots to add a player or two before or at the trade deadline.

Players they can shop are obviously N’Keal Harry, who has done nothing to increase his worth since coming off PUP.  There is also second-year tight end Devin Asiasi who has been buried on the inactive list all season long.  Belichick could decide to move a veteran linebacker like Dont’a Hightower or Kyle Van Noy depending on where the team is come the deadline.

If the team is completely out of it, the Patriots coach could see more value in developing the young linebacker depth behind them.

As far as adding players, wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr and Brandin Cooks are intriguing playmakers to add to the mix.  But don’t rule out a blockbuster deal that would shock the entire NFL, especially if the Patriots win a few games in a row.