Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Patriots are making TE Martellus Bennett an offseason priority and want to lock him up to a long-term contract.
Rapoport adds that Bennett has been “everything the Patriots wanted” when they traded for him during the offseason. Bennett has fought through injuries for them this year and they plan to reward him with a new contract in the coming months.
Bennett, 29, is a former first-round pick of the Cowboys back in 2008. He spent four years in Dallas before joining the Giants as a free agent. The Bears later signed him to a contract only to trade him to the Patriots in return for a fourth-round pick.
Bennett is in the final year of his four-year, $20.4 million contract that included $5.215 million guaranteed. He stands to make a base salary of $5.085 million for the 2016 season.
This year, Bennett has appeared in nine games and caught 38 passes for 504 yards receiving and four touchdowns for the Patriots.
We have him featured in our Top 30 – 2017 Free Agents list.
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