PHOENIX — Martellus Bennett doesn’t have the book on his new head coach, offensive coordinator or the offense they ran for the last two years with the Broncos.
But he does know about their tight end.
Julius Thomas was named to the Pro Bowl in each of the two years he played under coach John Fox and offensive coordinator Adam Gase. He’s played 24 games during that span, totaling 1,277 yards on 108 receptions.
Most amazingly, he’s caught 12 touchdown passes in each of the last two seasons.
That’s double Bennett’s single-season high of six set this past year.
“I don’t really know much about (Fox),” the Bears tight end said Thursday, three days after making his first Pro Bowl and two days before his brother Michael is set to play for the Seahawks in the Super Bowl. “I don’t know much about the offense.
“I’ve watched Julius Thomas catch a lot of balls in the red zone.”
He’s noticed the touchdowns, for sure.
Thomas was targeted 15 times in the red zone, catching all but two tries for 94 yards and nine touchdowns this season. His 12 overall touchdowns were tied for most in the league.
Bennett — who brother Michael said Thursday, with a straight face, could switch sports and play in the NBA after only a few months of training — had a career-high 916 yards on 90 catches last season.
No tight end had more receptions than Bennett, and only the Patriots’ Rob Gronkowski and Greg Olsen had more receiving yards.
“I think it’ll pick up in the red zone,” Bennett said. “But I catch a lot of balls anyways. So I’m definitely excited about it.”
Bennett said he hasn’t met the Bears’ new staff, and will have no preconceptions whenever they do sit down to talk.
He’ll have a new tight ends coach, Frank Smith, who spent the last five seasons with the Saints as an offensive line assistant. Former Bears tight ends coach Andy Bischoff was named the Ravens’ offensive quality control coach — under Marc Trestman — on Wednesday.
Bennett said he wasn’t too concerned by the sweeping changes at Halas Hall, calling the turnover part of life.
“For me, it doesn’t really mean anything right now,” he said. “Every year changes. You never really know if it’s going to be different.”
Email: pfinley@suntimes.com
Twitter: @patrickfinley
