The Seahawks are talking with Michael Bennett‘s representatives about an extension for the star defensive end, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter report that Bennett will miss the next 2-3 weeks due to a cartilage issue that will require arthroscopic knee surgery (Twitter links). Rapoport adds that the surgery will likely take place tomorrow.
Surgery notwithstanding, Rapoport rightfully points out that Bennett–whose streak of 74 consecutive regular-season games played will end today–has more than proven his value to Seattle over the last several years, and he has shown no signs of slowing down in 2016. He has been perhaps the Seahawks’ most disruptive defensive lineman this year, racking up three sacks and a team-high four tackles for loss.
Bennett signed a four-year, $28.5MM deal with the Seahawks following the 2013 campaign, which puts him on track to hit free agency following the 2017 season. The Texas A&M product made some headlines when he began pushing for a new contract in the spring of 2015, just one year after he signed that team-friendly pact, but Seattle did not seriously entertain his complaints. Now, however, it makes sense for both player and club to enter into actual negotiations.
Olivier Vernon, of course, set a surprising standard for 4-3 defensive ends like Bennett when he signed a five-year, $85MM contract with the Giants this past offseason. Vernon, though, is four years younger than the 30-year-old Bennett, who will probably receive a contract more in line with the five-year, $55MM deal that Cameron Jordan inked with the Saints last year. Either way, Bennett is in line for the substantial raise that he has been seeking ever since he put pen to paper on his last contract.
It’s about time. Pay the man
They did pay the man. Not the Seahawks fault that him and his agent were dumb enough to accept such a team friendly deal just a few days before free agency.