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Martellus Bennett Cut by Packers After Less Than 1 Year with Team

Alec Nathan

The Green Bay Packers officially cut tight end Martellus Bennett on Wednesday, per Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com.

ESPN.com's Field Yates initially reported the news.

Bennett, who signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Packers in March, missed Green Bay's Week 9 loss to the Detroit Lions with a shoulder injury and had already been ruled out for Week 10's clash with the Chicago Bears, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Wednesday that the NFL's transaction wire indicated the Packers released Bennett with a "failure to disclose physical condition" designation.

Rapoport noted that move could be accompanied by some drama: 

Whether Bennett is scooped up by another team in the coming weeks, 2017 appears to be his final year in the NFL.  

On Oct. 28, the 10-year veteran hinted at retirement with a message on Instagram: 

Through 142 career appearances, the 30-year-old has compiled 427 receptions for 4,520 yards and 30 touchdowns. Prior to his release, Bennett caught 24 passes for 233 yards and no touchdowns with the Packers. 

According to Pro Football Reference, the only other tight ends with at least 400 catches, 4,000 yards and 30 scores since 2008 are Vernon Davis, Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez, Jimmy Graham, Rob Gronkowski, Greg Olsen, Delanie Walker and Jason Witten. 

With Bennett out of the picture, the Packers figure to lean on Lance Kendricks as their primary tight end moving forward. 

In Week 9, Kendricks played a season-high 49.2 percent of the team's offensive snaps and caught two passes for 32 yards. 

Tight end Richard Rodgers will also be in line for a sizable role increase after he logged a season-high 33 snaps on Monday against the Lions.

   

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