Report: Patriots TE Martellus Bennett to test NFL free agency
By Ross O'Keefe
Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett is going to test free agency and his asking price will drive the Patriots to likely let him.
Martellus Bennett had one really good year in New England but it looks likely it will be coming to an end soon. Despite winning Super Bowl 51 with the Patriots, Bennett is looking to get paid this offseason, and the Patriots may not have that kind of money to spend on him. With Rob Gronkowski already in New England, the Patriots don’t have a dire need at tight end and therefore are less likely to offer him as much as teams who do really need a tight end.
#Patriots TE Martellus Bennett will test free agency. Based on his asking price & likely offers, it’s a real possibility he exits, I’m told
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 22, 2017
Bennett had a really good season in his first year with the Patriots, catching 55 balls for 701 yards and a career-high seven touchdowns. This is with the few games he split time with superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski. The soon-to-be 30-year-old Bennett certainly has not lost a step, and certainly deserves to get paid.
There are some teams that certainly make sense for Bennett, including the place he broke out, the New York Giants. The Giants have a need at the tight end position also, and should have some cap space. They are likely wanting to collect as many weapons for quarterback Eli Manning as possible so pursuing a tall receiving threat like Bennett makes a lot of sense. Imagining Bennett alongside Odell Beckham Jr., Sterling Shepard and Eli Manning is enough to make any football fan salivate.
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Martellus Bennett is looking elsewhere this off-season, and it looks like he will not be back in New England after a stellar season in 2016.