Martellus Bennett Injury: Updates on Patriots TE's Knee and Return

New England Patriots tight end Martellus Bennett was nursing a minor knee injury in the buildup to Super Bowl 51 against the Atlanta Falcons, but he is ready to play.

Continue for updates. 

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Bennett Active vs. Falcons

Sunday, Feb. 5

The Patriots announced Bennett is available to play in the Super Bowl against Atlanta.

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Bennett Stepped Up for Patriots in Gronk's Absence

Bennett, who has missed just nine games across nine years in the NFL, appeared in all 16 contests for New England during the regular season, filling in for Rob Gronkowski for most of the year. He wasn't completely healthy, though. He battled through shoulder and ankle issues throughout the year, and he also dealt with a knee injury earlier in the playoffs.

If the latest ailment forces him out of the lineup at some point during the game, Matt Lengel will be the last tight end standing on the active roster. The Eastern Kentucky product caught just two passes during the regular season but could now be in line for a larger role.

Ultimately, head coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots are the masters of filling voids. In this case, the offense will likely utilize extra five-wide sets to find the mismatches Bennett usually creates. Of course, it's always easier to make things work when Tom Brady is at the helm, too.