How Patriots Players Reacted After Brutal Injury To Team Captain

Those inside the New England Patriots locker room know the role Ja'Whaun Bentley played -- the multiple roles.

Bentley, who reportedly suffered a season-ending pec injury, is a team captain, was the team's leading tackler each of the last three seasons and served as a key communicator as he relayed defensive signals in the huddle.

He won't be easy to replace, and Patriots players know it.

"It's tough," linebacker Raekwon McMillan told reporters, per MassLive's Karen Guregian. "He's our team captain. He's our team leader. Everything we do in the linebacker room flows around Bent. He's our guy on defense. He's been the guy for the last two or three years. He's the voice of the team."

Joshua Uche told reporters: "He's a big vocal part of what we do here. It definitely hurts."

Jahlani Tavai and McMillan now headline New England's linebacker depth chart with Christian Elliss and Curtis Jacobs also on the 53-man roster. McMillan, specifically, saw an influx of snaps against the Seattle Seahawks after Bentley's exit and figures to be a prime candidate for more playing time.

Safety Kyle Dugger took over the communication for Bentley and was praised by head coach Jerod Mayo for his ability to relay the signals. There's a strong chance Dugger remains in that role.

"Whoever's out there, we just have to make sure the communication from the front end to the back end is on point," Tavai told reporters, per MassLive. "We’re not nervous about it. It just sucks losing a teammate."

There's also the chance the Patriots supplement the void of Bentley by giving Dugger more snaps in the box and making tweaks to the back end of their secondary. Dugger, however, has not fared as well against the run as the big-bodied Bentley.

New England will have to overcome the injury on a short week with the Patriots traveling to the New York Jets on Thursday night.