Seahawks Camp Countdown – Michael Bennett’s status
By Dan Viens
Seahawk star Michael Bennett expressed how upset he is about his contract again this week, but also assured fans he’ll report to work on time.
This time last year we all heard rumblings that Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett was unhappy about the new contract he had signed just one year previous. We heard nothing about Kam Chancellor’s discontent.
We all know what happened next, Chancellor blindsided everyone by holding out until week #3 of the regular season while Bennett showed up on time and proceed to have his best season ever.
Now we head into the 3rd year of Bennett’s 4 year, $28.5 million deal. He’s set to make $5 million this year in bonus and salary, and is once again hollering for all the world to hear that he’s paid far less than his production on the field warrants. Coming off a 10 sack season, and in his prime at the age of 30, Bennett is only the 27th highest paid DE in the NFL.
More from Seattle Seahawks News
- 4 prospects Seahawks could reach for at No. 20 in 2023 NFL Draft
- Seattle Seahawks Mock Draft: Post-first wave of free agency
- Seahawks podcast: A review of the first week of free agency
- 4 experiments the Seattle Seahawks could cut short in 2023
- 3 pros and cons of Seattle Seahawks drafting Anthony Richardson
In an interview with the Huffington Post this week, Bennett had this to say about his compensation: “I just want to be fairly compensated with the top guys in the league, I’m definitely one of the top five defensive ends.”
He goes on to say that while he loves everything about his experience in Seattle, his patience is growing thin, even knowing the team’s policy of not renegotiating contracts that have more than one year remaining: “It is never-ending,” Bennett said. “Especially when people are getting new contracts every day. You sit there and you’re like, ‘Damn, really?’ I’m just to the point where it’s kind of like, if you don’t think I’m valuable, then just get rid of me.”
But if those sound like fightin’ words from one of the team’s most outspoken leaders, relax Seahawk fans. Bennett says he’ll report to camp on time and give his full effort.
From the Seahawks perspective, head coach Pete Carroll is on record as saying they want to keep Bennett happy, and in Seattle. There’s no concrete evidence of any new contract talks at this point, but the team could do something similar to what they did to placate a similarly irked Marshawn Lynch two years ago, moving some of his 2017 money into the current year.
Next: Is Russell Wilson now a top 5 QB?
Regardless, the news that Bennett isn’t planning to hold out is welcome relief for a team with it’s eye on another Super Bowl run. Certainly Bennett realizes that another strong year will put him in position to get something done in terms of a redone deal before the 2017 season.