Despite the New England Patriots retaining most of their defense from last year, the unit will look quite a bit different in 2023. Long-time team captain Devin McCourty, after all, announced his retirement in mid-March.
Replacing McCourty will be a collective effort for the team. There are several realistic candidates to take on bigger roles both on and off the field, though.
A top option among them is Ja’Whaun Bentley.
Entering his sixth season with the team, Bentley is the Patriots’ No. 1 off-the-ball linebacker and was voted a captain in two of the last three seasons.