The New England Patriots have made a flurry of roster moves since the start of the new league year in March. One of the position groups that have been hit with the most turnover and action has been the linebacker group.

After the Patriots and Ja’Whuan Bentley parted ways, releasing the seven-year veteran, the Patriots’ star cornerback Christian Gonzalez put out a post on Twitter/X about the news.

He posted “Bruh What???” Bruh what??? — Gonzo (@chrisgonzo28) March 28, 2025 Gonzalez was shocked by the news and likely confused as well.

While Bentley was a major contributor, the defense is undergoing a massive overhaul, and Bentley may not be in the plans. Bentley himself made a post thanking New England for their hospitality and love during his seven years there.

Between the love for Bentley and his release, there were plenty of Patriots fans who reacted similarly to Gonzalez.

With the Patriots bringing in free agents Robert Spillane and Jack Gibbens, along with handing out a nice pay raise to Christian Elliss, there wasn’t a lot of room for Bentley left on the roster.

However, the release came as a surprise, as Bentley has been one of the best defenders for the Patriots in recent years. But with the new additions at linebacker, his role wasn’t guaranteed.

In response to the Gonzalez post, Patriots fans asked for Gonzalez to be the new leader on defense.

After his strong start to his career, Gonzalez might be forced to step up and be the captain for the new players, and the young guys on the roster.

The Mike Vrabel era has featured significant turnover from previous regimes, and there is plenty of optimism. But the Bentley news was a tough pill to swallow for many Patriots fans, including one of the Patriots’ star players.