The 2017 season was an odd one for Martellus Bennett. He left the Patriots as a free agent, signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Packers, was cut, and landed back in New England. Now he’s a free agent once again after being released by the Patriots on Wednesday.
Martellus Bennett is finished with the Patriots for the 2nd time. Is retirement next?
The Patriots brought back Bennett after he was signed by the Packers, and he promptly landed on IR.
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
Bennett was the next man up the Patriots needed during their Super Bowl LI run in 2016. Rob Gronkowski missed eight games due to injury, and Bennett filled the void with 701 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2016. But a shoulder injury derailed his 2017 season, which he finished with 286 total yards and no touchdowns.
Now Bennett’s on the market again, and this time, the question is if he will decide to hang it up for good.
How did Bennett end up back with the Patriots?
Bennett decided to test the market after his successful 2016 season. The Patriots don’t have a history of breaking the bank for any free agent, and they sure weren’t going to do it for Bennett with the league’s best tight end, Gronkowski, on the roster. Bennett landed in Green Bay, where he signed a three-year, $21 million contract with the Packers.
Things soured quickly, however. He played in seven games for the Packers last season, hauling in 24 catches for 233 yards. But he was plagued by a shoulder injury. Green Bay ended up waiving him, citing that Bennett had failed to disclose a medical issue. Bennett, who mentioned the possibility of retirement early in the season, claimed that the Packers knew about the injury and they were afraid he was trying to go on injured reserve so he’d stay on their books in 2018.
The Patriots claimed Bennett off waivers, absorbing his contract. Bennett played in two games for New England, putting up 53 yards on six catches. He then went on injured reserve.
Why are the Patriots moving on?
Bennett will be 31 years old in March, he’s coming off an injury, and he’s already openly discussed the possibility of retirement. Plus, the way Bennett’s contract is structured makes it easy for New England to pull the plug.
He’s technically under contract through the 2019 season. But this deal carried only $6.3 million guaranteed, and that was paid out in 2017. The Patriots save over $6 million by releasing Bennett.
It was worth it for the Patriots to bring Bennett back after his performance in 2016, especially on such a low-risk deal. It’s hard to justify paying Bennett that much considering his age and his 2017 season, though.
The Patriots still have Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen on the roster, though Gronkowski has been noncommittal about his future.
What’s next for Bennett?
It’s possible that Bennett will just call it a career. He said back in October that he was considering making the 2017 season his last. Bennett has his side business, The Imagination Agency, and he’s heavily invested in creating fun things, like a children’s book series, through that endeavor.
However, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported in February that Bennett wants to continue his playing career.
If Bennett does decide to test the free agency market again, last year’s injury situation may limit his options. But it’s a pretty slim year for free agent tight ends, with Jimmy Graham and Tyler Eifert as the biggest names on the market. That may make it a little easier for Bennett to find a new NFL home.
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