When the New England Patriots sent a fifth-round draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles to acquire defensive lineman Michael Bennett, the expectation was that the team would use him to fill the role previously held soon-to-be free agent Trey Flowers. Flowers indeed left the club a few days after the trade to sign a five-year contract with the Detroit Lions, paving the way for Bennett to become an equally integral part of New England’s defense.
Initially, the veteran sounded quite optimistic about his potential role with the Patriots: “When I was a young kid, I always used to watch the Patriots play on defense — and now I got a chance to be here and it feels really good,” he said during mandatory minicamp.