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Ja’Whaun Bentley reveals top trash talkers on Patriots’ roster
"A little trash talk — I feel like that’s the beauty of the game."
FOXBOROUGH — When the pads get put on during training-camp practices, it’s expected for the physicality and competitiveness to ratchet up amongst teammates.
So does the trash-talk.
Wednesday’s physical session saw players on both sides of the ball exchange pleasantries during both 1v1 matchups and full-team drills.
After reeling in a contested catch over Christian Gonzalez, wide receiver DeVante Parker even shared a few words with Patriots cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino.
For Patriots defensive captain Ja’Whaun Bentley, trash talk is a welcome way to break up the dog days of an extended camp practice schedule.
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“A little trash talk — I feel like that’s the beauty of the game,” Bentley said Wednesday. “I mean, we’ll be going against each other, it’s mano a mano. Offense, defense. But at the end of the day, we all come together and we just try to form our identity.”
Perhaps he’s not an impartial voice, but Bentley believes New England’s defense doles out the most smack during game situations.
As for the best trash-talkers on the team?
“Other than me? [Safety Jabrill Peppers is] up there,” Bentley said. “Pepp is up there for sure. “I think he got it.”
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Even though any player can toss out a few chirps and taunts in the midst of the organized chaos of a football game, Bentley believes there’s a real art to pestering opposing players beyond a bone-crunching tackle or momentum-sapping turnover.
“First of all, you’ve got to have the ability to do it. A lot of people, you’ve got to find your identity, don’t get out of yourself, that kind of stuff,” Bentley said when asked what makes a good trash-talker. “But it’s always good, that’s the beauty in the game when you’re going against each other to kind of get in their head a little bit or just try to figure out what makes them tick. That’s always fun, a little sauce to the game.”
As for Mac Jones’ reputation as a trash talker?
“He’s working on it,” Bentley said with a smile.
Veteran defensive end Calais Campbell might disagree with Bentley’s thoughts on the Patriots quarterback.
Speaking to The Athletic last week, Campbell said that Jones is one of the few signal callers in the NFL who he believes takes it too far with his comments.
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“Philip Rivers was a good trash talker, but he was never disrespectful, Mac Jones actually, he was kind of disrespectful,” Campbell said. “I’m like, ‘Hold on, man.’ Just trash talk to the highest level. It was like, ‘You don’t trash-talk me.’”
Granted, Bentley doesn’t believe that Jones or the entire offensive line has the capabilities to match the Patriots’ defense when it comes to hurling out insults. Still, he did opt to give his quarterback some props.
“I honestly don’t like [any] of those guys as far as trash talking,” Bentley said. “But I think Mac does a solid job, for sure. I don’t know if it works that much. But yeah, shout out to him.”
But when it comes to Jones’ dancing talents?
“The Griddy? We’re still working on that too,” Bentley said. “Mac’s my dog.”
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