Patriots Defender Endorses Reported Ja’Whaun Bentley Extension

Less than 24 hours after the New England Patriots handed out a contract extension to wideout DeVante Parker, they reportedly gave out another, this time to a veteran leader on the team's defense.

NFL Media's Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that the Patriots agreed to a two-year, $18.75 million extension with linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley. Rapoport added the deal includes $9 million in guaranteed money.

And the move by the Patriots to lock up Bentley, who served as a captain for the second time last season, got the stamp of approval from another member of New England's defense.

"Yessirrrrrrrrr!" Patriots safety Adrian Phillips tweeted in a response to Rapoport's report.

Bentley has turned into a key cog in the middle of the Patriots' defense after they selected him in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft out of Purdue. Bentley led New England in tackles each of the last two seasons -- he tallied a career-high 125 to go along with an interception in 2022 -- and was second on the team in takedowns in 2020.

Bentley also seems to be a well-respected member in New England's locker room with him being named captain last season and filling the void left by Dont'a Hightower.

And if giving him a contract extension wasn't a clear indication to how much the Patriots value Bentley and his leadership, than what linebackers coach Jerod Mayo said about him in April will show the level of trust the organization has in the 26-year-old.

"You saw the season that he put together last year," Mayo said, per ESPN's Mike Reiss. "He is very smart, knows the entire defense. He's fast, big, strong at the point of attack. He's just a great player. ... With the loss of Devin (McCourty), it's going to take multiple people, but what I will say is that Bentley will be a huge cornerstone to that rebuild."