PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Patriots moved on from a fourth team captain last week when they made the surprise decision to release linebacker Ja’Whaun Bentley.

Head coach Mike Vrabel was asked about the transaction Monday morning at the NFL Annual Meeting.

Related Articles

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel updates Christian Barmore’s status ahead of OTAs

Mike Vrabel details how Patriots plan to approach No. 4 pick in NFL Draft

Could Travis Hunter play both ways for Patriots? Mike Vrabel answers

Patriots WR Stefon Diggs wants to put his career and new team back on track

New Patriot Stefon Diggs has heard Drake Maye-Josh Allen comparisons

“These are difficult decisions, Doug, (with) players that have been here for a while and made great contributions to the football team before I was here,” Vrabel said. “And so I know that the Kraft family and the organization appreciate everything that they did. But these are decisions that we don’t take lightly. These are tough personnel decisions that we have to make. Once we come to that conclusion, we are as honest and direct with the player that we can, thank them, and that’s what we did with Ja’Whaun.”

The team has also released center David Andrews and elected not to re-sign defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. and quarterback Jacoby Brissett. Cornerback Jonathan Jones, who wasn’t a captain, is another long-time Patriots defender who was not re-signed this offseason.

“I think they were all individual decisions,” Vrabel said. “The captaincy is not a four-year term. It’s not an eight-year term. It’s a year-to-year term. Every player has to prove themselves each and every day to the football team. Again, there are some veteran players who have done a lot of great things. It was just individual decisions. Some of those other players went and moved on to another football team. Some, we had decisions that we made. So that’s all part of the roster construction.”

The Patriots have added veteran leadership this offseason by signing wide receiver Stefon Diggs, offensive tackle Morgan Moses, linebacker Robert Spillane and cornerback Carlton Davis, among others.