New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick had little to say about defensive end Michael Bennett’s return from suspension.
Bennett shared in a statement last week that he had “a philosophical disagreement” with his positional coach Bret Bielema. The disagreement was over Bennett’s playing time, according to The Athletic. The defensive lineman’s snap count fell from 37 snaps (55% of defensive snaps) in Week 1 to 11 snaps in Week 6 (22%). He sat out in Week 7.
“We’re onto this week,” Belichick said on Wednesday during a press conference at Gillette Stadium. “We’ve moved past a lot of things this week. We’re onto the Browns.”
Considering Bennett’s role in the defense as a sub rusher — and his struggles in that role — he may not immediately get an increased number of snaps. He has not addressed the media since returning from his suspension. During a conversation with Patriots Wire in Week 5, Bennett reflected on the sparse usage in New England’s defensive system.
“It’s hard, but at the same time, you want to be a good teammate. You don’t want to break any — just playing the best you can, I guess,” he said in the locker room on Oct. 4.
