Patriots LB Ja'Whaun Bentley suffered a torn pectoral muscle in Sunday's loss to the Seahawks and is expected to miss the rest of the season, according to multiple reports.
Nicole Yang of the Boston Globe: "Players that likely will see an uptick in snaps include Jahlani Tavai and Raekwon McMillan. The Patriots also have Christian Elliss and Curtis Jacobs on the 53-man roster, Joe Giles-Harris on the practice squad, and Sione Takitaki on the physically unable to perform list."
HC Jerod Mayo on S Kyle Dugger taking over the green dot in place of Bentley: "Dugger did it all last year as well, so it was not anything new for him. I’ve always been a huge believer in a linebacker having the green dot, but I’ll tell you, the way Dugger played yesterday as a whole, being able to handle the communication, he definitely filled in for that role."
The green helmet dot signals which player relays play calls from the coordinator to the huddle.
Tavai went from 73% playing time in the opener -- in line with his 2023 role -- to 99% against Seattle. He looks like a good bet for full-time use going forward.
Raekwon McMillan stepped into the vacated spot against Seattle for a 59% snap share. We'll see about his role for Week 3, but a snap count around Tavai's Week 1 usage would make sense.
Takitaki will be worth watching when he's eligible to return after Week 4. He's in his first year with the team after five in Cleveland. Takitaki signed a two-year deal and counts nearly as much against the cap this year (about $3.3 million) as Tavai does ($3.4 million) -- and significantly more than McMillan ($1.6 million).
That doesn't guarantee Takitaki a larger role, of course, but might suggest New England viewed him as a stronger candidate in the offseason.
The team defense outlook shouldn't change much for this injury.
For now, Tavai looks like the only IDP waiver candidate among Patriots LBs for most leagues. McMillan and Takitaki could be stashes for deep leagues.
Bentley could be a cut candidate this offseason. He has one more year on his deal, but Spotrac has his 2025 carrying a $7.3 million cap hit vs. just $1.8 million in dead cap if New England moves on.
Bentley's not a must-hold even in dynasty.
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