General manager John Schneider and head coach Pete Carroll have already dismissed an offseason rumor about Michael Bennett wanting a new contract and/or a trade to Atlanta, but it wasn’t until today that the Seahawks defensive end himself weighed in on the matter, as Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times details.
“I never asked for it. I didn’t come to them asking for a trade,” Bennett said on 710 ESPN Seattle. “I’m still trying to figure out how a guy from Dallas (Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram) makes up a story about me, I’m living in Seattle, I’m like how does that happen? I’m in Hawaii surfing, got the kids surfing in the ocean and they are talking about something else.”
While Bennett downplayed the story, Hill’s initial report said that the defensive end wanted a trade — not that he’d necessarily requested one. Bennett, who didn’t address the part of the story about wanting a new contract, also said today that he has “been talking” to the team, suggesting there’s something worth talking about. So while Bennett almost certainly isn’t going anywhere, I’m not sure there’s absolutely zero truth to the initial report.
Here’s more from around the NFC:
- Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams, who was arrested for DUI last week, paid a visit to Dallas today to meet with the Cowboys, says Todd Archer of ESPNDallas.com (via Twitter). The incident could hurt Williams’ draft stock, but as the Cowboys showed when they signed Greg Hardy, they aren’t afraid to add a player who could be facing off-field issues, or an on-field suspension.
- Speaking of players with off-field question marks, Nebraska pass rusher Randy Gregory worked out privately for the Falcons in the days after word of his failed combine drug test broke, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com.
- In addition to confirming the previously reported visit of Nate Orchard, the Buccaneers also announced today that they hosted TCU linebacker Paul Dawson, LSU defensive end Jermauria Rasco, and Utah defensive back Eric Rowe.
- Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun passes along a pair of updates on recently-signed Eagles, reporting (via Twitter) that wide receiver Seyi Ajirotutu got $380K guaranteed on his minimum salary deal, while cornerback E.J. Biggers didn’t receive a signing bonus on his minimum salary pact.
- Brock Lutes, a Bemidji State basketball player and NFL tight end hopeful, will pay a visit to the 49ers on Tuesday, per Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com (Twitter link).