Martellus Bennett Agrees to Contract with Green Bay Packers

Martellus Bennett is on the move again after agreeing to a deal with the Green Bay Packers, the team announced.

Rob Demovsky of ESPN reported the deal is for three years and $20.25 million, including a $6.3 million signing bonus and a $2 million roster bonus.

ESPN's Adam Schefter and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport first reported the news on Friday. 

Bennett posted a photo on Instagram in which he's wearing a Packers hat:

Acquired in a trade with the Chicago Bears, Bennett acclimated himself well during his lone season in New England. He had 55 receptions for 701 yards and seven touchdowns, filling in admirably as Rob Gronkowski missed the final five games of the regular season and the whole playoffs. 

“He’s been so productive for us, and I really enjoy playing with him,” Brady told reporters, via CBS Boston. “You talk about a guy that’s been out at practice every day. I mean, he’s fought through a lot of stuff over the course of the year to be out there, trying to get better and improve. I think it shows a lot of mental toughness, but it’s showing up with his ability to produce on the field.”

Bennett, for his part, never seemed all that worried about his next contract.

“My money’s good,” Bennett told reporters, via Kevin Duffy of MassLive.com. “I’m just going through every game and playing football. When they address it, they address it. If they don’t, I’m not really worried about it. I have a diverse portfolio, so I’m not really tripping about that. I’m not really worried about that right now. I’m just trying to make plays and continue to play really good football.”

A 2008 second-round pick, Bennett previously played for the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Bears. He made headlines during the 2016 season for an ESPN profile in which he was critical of members of the Cowboys and Bears organizations—particularly Dallas tight end Jason Witten and Chicago quarterback Jay Cutler.

Despite his boisterous nature, Bennett fit in well with the so-called Patriots way. That likely played a part in the Packers being comfortable signing him.

The Packers were also in need of a new starting tight end. Schefter reported the team and Cook had broken off contract talks. 

Bennett can step into the role Cook occupied last year. He's been a productive tight end throughout his career and now gets to play with Aaron Rodgers, so there's no reason to expect any drop in production from the 30-year-old in 2017.