Tweet
Chicago Bears trade Martellus Bennett to New England Patriots for draft-pick compensation
The Chicago Bears are trading tight end Martellus Bennett to the New England Patriots for a fourth-round draft pick, league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.
The teams are finalizing a deal, but the Patriots will also receive a sixth-round draft choice in exchange for Bennett, according to sources.
The Patriots have traditionally preferred to run a multiple tight-end offense because of the matchup problems it can create for a defense. It hit its peak in 2011 with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.
In 2015, the club thought it had a strong 1-2 punch with Gronkowski and Scott Chandler, who was signed as a free agent, but Chandler didn't pan out after inking a two-year contract worth a maximum value of $5.3 million. He was released on March 2.
Bennett, who is 6-foot-6 and 273 pounds, is signed through the 2016 season and is due to earn a base salary of $5.085 million.
Bennett made the Pro Bowl in 2014, catching 90 passes for 916 yards and six touchdowns, but failed to receive a contract extension from the Bears the following offseason.
Bennett subsequently boycotted the entire voluntary portion of the Bears' 2015 offseason program but returned for the club's mandatory minicamp and training camp to avoid incurring a fine.
He had 53 receptions for 439 yards and three touchdowns last year before a rib injury landed him on injured reserve on Dec. 8.
Before fracturing his ribs, Bennett openly questioned his role on offense, as the Bears began to feature fellow tight end Zach Miller toward the latter part of the season.
The teams are finalizing a deal, but the Patriots will also receive a sixth-round draft choice in exchange for Bennett, according to sources.
The Patriots have traditionally preferred to run a multiple tight-end offense because of the matchup problems it can create for a defense. It hit its peak in 2011 with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez.
In 2015, the club thought it had a strong 1-2 punch with Gronkowski and Scott Chandler, who was signed as a free agent, but Chandler didn't pan out after inking a two-year contract worth a maximum value of $5.3 million. He was released on March 2.
Bennett, who is 6-foot-6 and 273 pounds, is signed through the 2016 season and is due to earn a base salary of $5.085 million.
Bennett made the Pro Bowl in 2014, catching 90 passes for 916 yards and six touchdowns, but failed to receive a contract extension from the Bears the following offseason.
Bennett subsequently boycotted the entire voluntary portion of the Bears' 2015 offseason program but returned for the club's mandatory minicamp and training camp to avoid incurring a fine.
He had 53 receptions for 439 yards and three touchdowns last year before a rib injury landed him on injured reserve on Dec. 8.
Before fracturing his ribs, Bennett openly questioned his role on offense, as the Bears began to feature fellow tight end Zach Miller toward the latter part of the season.