The New England Patriots' trade for Martellus Bennett follows an old blueprint under Bill Belichick. Get two tight ends on the field, create matchups and bring flexibility to the call sheet. Similar to what the Patriots once had with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, the ability to dictate tempo with double-tight end personnel forces opposing defenses to adjust based on alignment and game situation.
Although Bennett doesn't have the same speed or skill set of Hernandez, the former Chicago Bears tight end has the size (6-foot-6, 273 pounds), pass-catching ability (led all tight ends with 90 receptions in 2014) and physical power to win as a blocker in the running game. He is an upgrade in New England and a key part to the offensive attack when paired with Gronkowski (6-6, 265 pounds) to give the Patriots two monsters at the position.
Let's discuss how Bennett's arrival in New England translates to the game plan. From the matchups to the formation versatility, the combination Bennett and Gronkowski is going to be trouble for opposing defenses in 2016.