FOXBORO, Mass. — Martellus Bennett was one of the New England Patriots’ best offseason additions.
The veteran tight end was acquired through a trade with the Chicago Bears in March, and he brings size, strength and receiving depth to the Pats’ offense.
Bennett is quite talented in his own right, but it helps to play alongside the best tight end in the NFL in Rob Gronkowski. The two have formed a partnership early in training camp that’s benefiting both parties.
“That’s really exciting, because I was fortunate to play with Brandon Marshall for a long time, and I learned a lot of my game from him,” Bennett said after Friday’s practice at Gillette Stadium. “And now to be with another great player like Rob, he does so many things well.
“When you watch tape, you can’t really — you know he’s really, really good, but you’re right there next to him, you’re like, ‘Man, this guy is really good. Hey Rob, how’d you do that? How’d you do this. Man, show me that. Come to the side real quick and show me how you did that move.’
“So, it’s just give and take. He asks me sometimes, like, ‘Hey man, you did this today, I like that. Show me that.’ So, we’re just working, trying to make each other better, and that’s what the whole tight end room is trying to do, just build each other up so we can add to the repertoire and become better players.”
Since 2012, only four tight ends have caught more passes than Bennett. He’s tallied 50 or more receptions each season with a total of 19 touchdowns over that span.
The Patriots have the league’s best 1-2 punch at tight end, and it’s scary to think how well this offense could perform if Gronk and Bennett help each other improve even more.
Thumbnail photo via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
