Perhaps Ja’Whaun Bentley’s season isn’t over after all.
Multiple Monday evening reports indicate the New England Patriots linebacker will miss the rest of the campaign due to a torn pectoral muscle. However, subsequent reporting suggests Bentley could return after an extended absence. Bentley, one of the Patriots’ most respected leaders, suffered the injury during Sunday’s home loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
What’s the Latest on Ja’Whaun Bentley’s Injury?
Christopher Price of The Boston Globe was the first to report a more optimistic outlook for Bentley.
“On Bentley, just connected with a team source who confirmed the linebacker would be out for an ‘extended period of time,’ but added it ‘might be premature to say season,'” Price wrote on the X platform.
ESPN’s Mike Reiss initially reported Bentley would miss the rest of his season but later changed his tune.
“(Bentley) is expected to miss an extended period of time that could include the rest of the season, sources confirmed to ESPN,” Reiss wrote Monday night.
Here’s a video of Bentley suffering his injury:
This looks like the play in which LB Ja’Whaun Bentley (8) injured his shoulder. Engaged with RG Anthony Bradford, wrestles him down with left arm, and then reaches up to left shoulder and flexes it out.
Played one snap after this play and didn’t return. pic.twitter.com/VGr08TExct
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) September 16, 2024
A late-season return for Bentley could hinge on whether the Patriots are still in contention. Regardless, the veteran linebacker will be sidelined for a while, and that’s bad news for the Patriots.
Bentley, 28, led the Patriots in tackles in each of the last three seasons, eclipsing 100 in each campaign. He posted 12 sacks, a half-sack, and one quarterback hit before suffering his injury.
The Patriots’ defense already was without its best player, defensive tackle Christian Barmore, who could miss the entire season due to blood clots. And New England traded its top edge rusher, Matthew Judon, in a late-summer deal with the Atlanta Falcons. Now, the defense will play without its best run-stuffing linebacker.
The Patriots have solid linebackers who can pick up the slack, but none are as impactful as Bentley, who wore the green dot as the play-caller on the front seven.
How Can the Patriots Replace Bentley?
The Patriots have four traditional linebackers left on their active roster: Jahlani Tavai, Raekwon McMillan, Christian Elliss, and Curtis Jacobs. But can any fill the void at middle linebacker?
Tavai is best used as a Swiss-Army-Knife outside LB. Elliss is a primary special-teamer who probably shouldn’t see meaningful snaps on defense. Jacobs was claimed off waivers after roster cutdowns and was inactive the first two weeks, so it’s hard to see him being a factor.
That leaves McMillan, who saw 41 snaps on Sunday after Bentley left the game. McMillan missed all of the 2021 and 2023 seasons due to injuries and saw minimal snaps in 2022. He’s a physical, hard-nosed player loved by coaches and teammates, but he doesn’t have the upside of Bentley.
Nevertheless, McMillan is now primed for his biggest role since first joining the Patriots in 2021. Let’s see what he can do.
Another play to watch: Sione Takitaki, who signed with the Patriots in free agency.
The former Cleveland Brown, who underwent a minor knee procedure during the offseason, is out through at least Week 4 while on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list. Takitaki ramped up his activity late in training camp, so it’s reasonable to assume he’ll be ready to practice after Week 4 — but that’s just speculation.
He primarily worked as an outside/weak-side linebacker during his first four seasons with the Browns. But Takitaki saw a significant uptick in middle LB snaps in 2023 and enjoyed his most productive season as a pro.
In 15 games, Takitaki racked up 65 tackles, including two sacks, three pass breakups, and one interception. He’s a good player, but it’s fair to wonder how impactful he’ll be after sitting out all of training camp.
No matter how you slice it, the Patriots are a worse team with Bentley out of the picture. Jerod Mayo and company can only hope one of their depth pieces emerges as a starting-caliber middle linebacker.