The Chicago Bears have traded their tight end Martellus Bennett to the New England Patriots for draft pick compensation according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Wheeling and dealing continues: Bears are trading TE Martellus Bennett to Patriots for draft-pick compensation, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2016
Martellus Bennett Traded To Patriots
The 29-year-old Bennett has spent the last three years with the Bears where he had accumulated 2,114 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns over that time. Bennett struggled with injuries in 2015, however, as he was limited to 11 games which were the least amount of games that he played in any one season of his career. His statistics in 2015 also went down as his 439 receiving yards, three touchdowns, and 53 receptions were the lowest during his time in Chicago and the lowest since his 2011 campaign.
The eight-year veteran will now be joining the fourth team of his career since he came into the league in 2008. His first four years were spent with the Dallas Cowboys who drafted him in the second round of the 2008 draft.
In 2012, he played for the New York Giants where he had a breakout season. He had 55 receptions for 626 yards and five touchdowns which were all career highs for him at the time.
Bennett’s best season came in 2014 for Chicago. He had 90 receptions for 916 receiving yards and six touchdowns. These are still Bennett’s career highs and led to his first and only Pro Bowl appearance to date.
The Bears will be sending both Bennett and their sixth-round pick to New England. In return they will be receiving the Patriots fourth-round pick in the draft.
Tom Brady will now have another tight end to throw to in New England as Bennett will now join All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski.
