Matthew Judon Thinks This Patriot Deserves More Respect — And He’s Right

FOXBORO, Mass. — There’s a growing list of Patriots players who are vastly underrated on a national scale. Center David Andrews certainly is in that group, as is cornerback Jonathan Jones.

Near the top: Ja’Whaun Bentley.

The sixth-year linebacker was excellent last Sunday, recording nine tackles and one quarterback pressure in New England’s season-opening home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. It was the kind of rock-solid performance that Bentley has become known for, offering little in the way of splash plays but providing crucial communication and physicality.

But it’s not just about on-field play. Bentley, recently voted a team captain for the third time in four seasons, has emerged as one of the top leaders in the Patriots locker room.

The 2018 fifth-round pick didn’t find his voice right away in Foxboro. But after paying his dues, he now is someone whom Patriots players look to for veteran leadership.

“I feel like a couple of years ago when I first got here, he would defer to older guys, especially (Devin McCourty),” Matthew Judon said after Thursday’s practice. “Dev would break us down. Dev would always talk. Dev would lead. And I think with the departure of Dev and (Dont’a) Hightower and a couple of other guys, that he’s seen and he’s waited his turn. He learned from some great leaders.

“And I think he’s becoming one of those guys that’s gonna be on a wall around here someday very soon.”

There’s no denying Bentley took his play to another level this summer. Once New England’s top linebacker by default, you now could argue the 28-year-old is one of the better all-around inside linebackers in the AFC.

“Just his consistent play, week in and week out, down after down,” Judon said of Bentley, who was Pro Football Focus’ eighth-ranked linebacker last season. “And he does a lot of things that stats (don’t show).

“Like if you watch him, the way he’s physical at the line of scrimmage and he punishes offensive linemen. Or the way he re-routes people or the way he gets our defense lined up, set, talking with the green dot. That’s a lot of responsibility on a guy that’s not talked about a lot.”

Judon made sure to drive home that last point.

“We talk about him and we praise him,” he said. “But I think outside of these walls, he’s not given the respect he should be given. And so, I think Bent just wears that chip on his shoulder. Every game, down in, down out, he goes out there and busts his butt. Whether that’s on special teams, whether that’s on defense — any phase of the game that he’s needed.”

Multiple Patriots players said a fiery post-practice speech from Bentley last Friday fueled the unit’s terrific Week 1 performance. And, as usual, Bentley led by example.

“When he does talk, we listen,” Judon said. “We focus in, we zone in. We’re not taking our tape off. We’re not thinking like, ‘Oh, it’s hot out here.’ We actually listening to the words he saying, because he inspires, he encourages us.

“But he also lives by them words.”