The Patriots will have to prioritize how they want to handle a host of their free agents, with former Bears tight end Martellus Bennett near the top of the list.
Bennett has completed the $20.4 million, four-year contract former Bears general manager Phil Emery signed him to in March 2013, when Bennett was added on the same day as left tackle Jermon Bushrod. The Bears traded Bennett and a sixth-round draft pick for a fourth-round pick that turned into cornerback Deiondre’ Hall.
Bennett, who turns 30 next month, figures to be in line for one more significant contract after catching 55 passes for 701 yards and career highs of seven touchdowns and 12.7 yards per reception this season.
"Most times, I may have to block 49 times and then run eight routes," Bennett said. "There’s other guys that never block. I’m like, ‘Well that must be nice,’ but then I look at how they leave their teammates hanging. My style of play is not really that sexy. I’m just a blue-collar football player. There may be games where I have two catches but I may grade out with a 95 because I was where I’m supposed to be, doing my job at a high level. I like to kick ass. That’s my style of play.
"I’m not a fantasy football player, man. You may draft me in fantasy football, you may be pissed off because one week he goes for 120 and the next he goes for 30 yards receiving. It’s just what I do. I think I’ll still end up as the top tight end statistically the whole year."
It will be interesting to see what the Patriots do with Bennett. They decided not to re-sign linebacker Jamie Collins, who was traded to the Browns on Oct. 31. Right tackle Marcus Cannon was extended with a $32.5 million, five-year deal on Nov. 29. Linebacker Dont’a Hightower might be the Patriots’ No. 1 free agent, and cornerback Malcolm Butler will be a restricted free agent.
Also slated for unrestricted free agency are defensive linemen Jabaal Sheard, Chris Long and Alan Branch, running back LeGarrette Blount, cornerback Logan Ryan and receiver Michael Floyd.
Bennett had a costly holding penalty at the end of the second quarter after James White reached the Falcons’ 3-yard line on a screen pass. That pushed the Patriots back and forced them to settle for a field goal and a 21-3 halftime deficit.
Photos from Super Bowl LI on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2017, at NRG Stadium in Houston.
Happy return: Robert Alford‘s 82-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter was the second-longest in Super Bowl history, trailing only the 100-yard return by the Steelers’ James Harrison in Super Bowl XLIII. The Patriots’ 11 regular-season turnovers were the fewest in the NFL, and it was first pick-six for Brady in 34 career playoff starts.
Extra points: The Patriots tried a gadget punt return at the start of the fourth quarter, with the design borrowed from the Dave Toub play the Bears used with Johnny Knox. Patrick Chung ran back and caught Matt Bosher‘s punt over his shoulder but was stopped for a 1-yard loss. … Bears equipment manager Tony Medlin was responsible for game footballs for the 18th time in the last 19 Super Bowls. The only game he missed was Super Bowl XLI, when the Bears participated. His first Super Bowl was XXXIII, the last time the Falcons were in the game. … The Super Bowl moves to Minneapolis next year. Then it goes, in order, to Atlanta, Miami and Los Angeles. The high temperature in Minneapolis on Sunday was 31 degrees.
bmbiggs@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @BradBiggs
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
