Salary cap casualties happen every offseason, a common term for players being released due to a team’s salary cap constraints, and such was the case on Friday as the New England Patriots announced the release of linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley.
The 28-year-old defensive star missed most of the 2024 season after sustaining a torn pectoral muscle during New England’s Week 2 game against the Seattle Seahawks.
In June 2023, he signed a two-year, $13.5 million contract extension with the Patriots. He was scheduled to make $4.9 million in the final year of his deal; however, there was already much speculation that the former fifth-round pick could be a salary cap casualty, given the signing of linebacker Robert Spillane earlier this month.
From 2021 to 2023, Bentley collected at least 109 combined tackles each season. In his seven seasons with the franchise, he had 509 combined tackles, 21 TFLs, 29 quarterback hits, 10.5 sacks, 11 passes defended, two interceptions, four forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
In his rookie season, Bentley and the Patriots won Super Bowl LIII against the Los Angeles Rams, 13-3.
The 143rd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Bentley joins many veterans at his position who have yet to find a new home for 2025, including Eric Kendricks, Kyzir White, Jerome Baker, E.J. Speed and De’Vondre Campbell.
New England saved ~$4.6 million toward the cap by releasing Bentley.
Copyright 2025 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published March 28, 2025 at 2:00 PM.