Patriots Still Interested In Bringing Back TE Bennett

According to the Boston Globe's Ben Volin, the New England Patriots remain interested in keeping veteran tight end Martellus Bennett in town, once free agency begins on march 9th.

In 16 regular season games, the 29-year-old caught 55 passes for 701 yards and set a career-high with seven touchdowns. He also helped to fill the void created when Rob Gronkowski was unable to play both early on in the season and down the stretch through the postseason.

Bennett, of course, wasted little time after New England won Super Bowl LI talking about how "champions get paid." That seemed to indicate that the big tight end would likely be looking towards the highest bidder for his next deal.

Though he is likely to attract many teams, when the free agency signing period opens on March 9th, the Pats should look to keep Bennett in New England.

Teaming him with a healthy Gronkowski could prove to be an unstoppable combination, as the two shined in limited action together last season.

With Gronkowski's spotty injury history, having a guy like Bennett as the number two tight end is even that much more important, as well. If Gronkowski is sidelined for any time next season, Bennett could, once again, step in and be a go-to weapon for Brady up the seam and down the field.

While the price may ultimately be too high for New England, there's no reason not to kick the tires on a supremely talented offensive weapon, who they already know can thrive in their system.