Martellus Bennett Has Torn Rotator Cuff

The Packers waived tight end Martellus Bennett because he had a torn rotator cuff, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). He may or may not try to play through the injury. If he can’t, the Patriots could simply place him on injured reserve. Martellus Bennett (vertical)

[RELATED: Patriots Claim TE Martellus Bennett]

There are varying degrees to rotator cuff tears and, presumably, Bennett is not dealing with a complete tear. A partial tear could help to explain his mediocre production in 2017. In seven games for the Packers, Bennett had just 24 grabs for 233 yards and zero touchdowns.

Bennett has indicated that he will retire after the 2017 season, so he might be willing to play through the pain without fear of the additional damage he might do to his shoulder. If he can gut it out, he might just have a chance at winning a second consecutive Super Bowl ring with the Patriots. This time around, he won’t have to be on the field as much thanks to Rob Gronkowski being healthy and the presence of Dwayne Allen.

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