Martellus Bennett - Pro Football Rumors

Packers Eyeing Martellus Bennett

March 8th, 2016 at 3:17pm CST by Luke Adams

It appears Martellus Bennett‘s days in Chicago may be numbered, and one of the Bears’ division rivals is said to be eyeing the veteran tight end. A source tells Luke Rodgers of 247Sports.com (Twitter link) that the Packers have shown some interest in Bennett.

As last week’s reports suggested, agent Kennard McGuire and the Bears have been seeking out potential trade partners for the team in the hopes of finding Bennett an “agreeable landing spot.” However, there’s skepticism around the league that the Bears will be able to find a suitable offer for their tight end. The idea that the division-rival Packers would be able to work out a deal with the Bears seems even more far-fetched, so it’s not surprising that Ed Werder of ESPN (video link) suggests Green Bay would only have interest if Bennett were to be released.

Bennett, who will turn 29 on Thursday, was slowed by injuries in 2015, but still managed to haul in 53 passes for 439 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games. Previously, Bennett established new career-highs across the board in 2014 with 90 receptions, 916 yards, and six TDs, earning his first Pro Bowl nod.

In the wake of that Pro Bowl season, Bennett sought a raise and an extension, skipping the Bears’ voluntary OTAs last spring. However, Chicago, having recently hired a new head coach and GM, was unwilling to work out a new deal at that point, and it now sounds as if the team would prefer to move on from Bennett, who reportedly “frustrated coaches and teammates” in 2015.

The Packers aren’t typically very active in free agency, but when they do explore the market, GM Ted Thompson and the team’s decision-makers often prefer players who have been released by other clubs, since those free agents don’t count toward the draft compensatory pick formula for the following season. So Green Bay is worth keeping an eye on if Bennett is ultimately cut by the Bears.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Bears, Agent Working On Martellus Bennett Trade

March 4th, 2016 at 9:04am CST by Luke Adams

9:04am: There are some around the NFL who doubt that a Bennett trade will happen, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune (Twitter links), who says the Bears would likely release the tight end if they can’t find a trade partner. Biggs adds that Bennett “increasingly frustrated coaches and teammates” during the 2015 season, making his looming departure from Chicago seem somewhat inevitable.

8:11am: The Bears are working with agent Kennard McGuire, the agent for tight end Martellus Bennett, to find a trade that would send Bennett to an “agreeable landing spot,” reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (via Twitter). If the two parties can figure something out, Chicago would likely consummate a deal at the start of the 2016 league year next week, or shortly thereafter.

Bennett, who will turn 29 next Thursday, was slowed by injuries in 2015, but still managed to haul in 53 passes for 439 yards and three touchdowns in 11 games. Previously, Bennett established new career-highs across the board in 2014 with 90 receptions, 916 yards, and six TDs, earning his first Pro Bowl nod.

In the wake of that Pro Bowl season, Bennett sought a raise and an extension, skipping the Bears’ voluntary OTAs last spring. However, Chicago, having recently hired a new head coach and GM, was unwilling to work out a new deal at that point, and it appears the team now prefers a trade to an extension.

Bennett has one year left on his current contract, and is currently set to earn a base salary of $5.085MM in 2016, with a cap hit of $6.31MM. If a team were to trade for the veteran tight end, that club would be responsible for his salary and his $100K workout bonus, leaving $1.125MM in dead money on the Bears’ cap. It’s also possible a contract extension would be part of any deal, perhaps reducing that cap hit for 2016 and giving Bennett a larger guarantee up front.

The emergence of tight end Zach Miller gives the Bears another option at the position in the event that they move Bennett. Miller had a career year in 2015, recording 34 receptions for 439 yards and five touchdowns. Although he’s a free agent, there’s a decent chance Miller will be back with the Bears, who have plenty of cap space at their disposal to sign him to a new deal.

As for Bennett’s potential destinations, there are a handful of teams that could be decent fits. One club in the market for tight end help is in Baltimore, where the Ravens have two tight ends with health concerns (Dennis Pitta and Crockett Gillmore) and one who is facing a 10-game suspension (Nick Boyle). Ravens offensive coordinator Marc Trestman was Chicago’s head coach during Bennett’s best season in 2014.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Extra Points: Broncos, Bears, Dolphins

February 13th, 2016 at 9:54pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

A look around the NFL as Saturday wraps up:

Whether the Broncos bring back DeMarcus Ware next season might depend on if they can get a deal done with free agent-to-be Malik Jackson, tweets Troy Renck of The Denver Post. Both pass rushers have been important cogs in the Broncos’ dominant defense, but the salary cap could preclude the Super Bowl champions from retaining the pair. At 26, Jackson is significantly younger than Ware, who will enter his age-34 season. Further, releasing Ware would add $10MM to the Broncos’ cap for 2016. That money could obviously be put toward re-signing Jackson. If Denver does cut ties with Ware, his two-year stint with the team will have ended with a 3.5-sack playoff run. Two of those sacks came in the Broncos’ Super Bowl 50 victory over Carolina.
If the Bears determine that tight end Martellus Bennett is a holdout threat, they’ll start shopping him around the league next month, writes Chris Boden of CSNChicago.com. A holdout wouldn’t be unheard of for Bennett, who sat out the voluntary portion of the Bears’ offseason program last year in an effort to land a better contract. The Bears didn’t bite then, and it doesn’t sound as though they’d blink in the event of a hypothetical Bennett holdout this year. If Chicago shops the soon-to-be 29-year-old – as it did last offseason – and ends up unable to find a taker, the team could cut him and save nearly $5.2MM on its cap in 2016. Bennett’s status is one of many points touched on by PFR’s Dallas Robinson in his offseason preview of the Bears, which can be found here.
Regardless of whether they keep Brent Grimes, the Dolphins hope to add at least two new cornerbacks this offseason, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. The team cut corner Brice McCain on Friday and could also send Jamar Taylor packing, according to Jackson. Doing so would save Miami just shy of $900,000 on its cap next season.

North Notes: Tucker, Tobin, Steelers, Bears

January 5th, 2016 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran kicker Justin Tucker is eligible for free agency this offseason, but it sounds like the Ravens plan to keep him in the fold. Tucker confirmed on Monday that negotiations between the team and his agent have been ongoing for quite some time, according to Jon Meoli of The Baltimore Sun.

“My agent [Robert Roche] and these guys have been talking, on and off, for a better part of a year, year and a half,” Tucker said. “At this juncture, I’m kind of letting it all just unfold how it’s going to unfold.

“I’m optimistic that something will get done, but at the same time, like I said, the only thing that I can really concern myself with as a player is just improving and making sure that wherever I end up, I know I’m going to end up where, God willing, I’m supposed to end up, but the only thing that I can take care of is my own personal business, and that’s making myself the best kicker possible.”

Tucker, 26, has been a little shakier during the last two seasons than he was in his first two years, missing five field goal attempts in 2014 and seven in 2015. However, all but one of those misses came from 50+ yards, and he converted all 29 of his extra-point tries in 2015, so he’ll be in line for a nice raise from Baltimore.

Here’s more from around the NFL’s North divisions:

Bengals personnel chief Duke Tobin received requests for general manager interviews from both the Lions and Titans, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). According to Schefter though, Tobin intends to remain in Cincinnati long-term.
DeAngelo Williams may not be able to play against the Bengals this weekend, but the Steelers don’t intend to bring in a veteran running back for the game, head coach Mike Tomlin said today. According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Twitter link), the Steelers would roll primarily with Fitzgerald Toussaint and Jordan Todman if Williams can’t go.
Bears general manager Ryan Pace, who is entering his second year as Chicago’s GM, says that he may have to rely on free agency more in the program’s early stages because of the team’s needs, tweets Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune. Hopefully, the GM added, that reliance on free agency will diminish over time.
Pace made some other interesting comments during his conversation this week with the media, giving quarterback Jay Cutler a vote of confidence and insisting there’s no rift between the team and tight end Martellus Bennett. Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times has the story on the Bears‘ plans to build around Cutler, while Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com passes along the GM’s comments on Bennett.

NFC Notes: Murray, Lacy, Falcons, Bears

December 8th, 2015 at 5:41pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Eagles running back DeMarco Murray and owner Jeffrey Lurie had a lengthy conversation Sunday about Murray’s role in head coach Chip Kelly‘s offense, ESPN’s Ed Werder reports. Though the Eagles pulled a 35-28 upset in New England, Murray was barely a factor – taking the field for just 14 plays and totaling 24 yards on eight carries – and he voiced his frustrations to Lurie afterward as a result. Their conversation happened on the team’s flight home, according to Werder, who adds that it’s unknown who initiated the talk.

“He’s obviously upset about what happened,” a source close to Murray told Werder.

Murray, who led the NFL in rushing last year with Dallas and then signed a big-money deal with the Eagles in the offseason, has struggled mightily under Kelly. The two-time thousand-yard rusher has just 569 this season on a paltry 3.5 per-carry average, and has been outproduced by teammate Ryan Mathews – who signed a much less valuable contract with Philly in the offseason. Mathews missed the Patriots game because of a concussion, but Murray still had to take a backseat to Darren Sproles, who accrued 90 yards on 19 touches.

“We are not trying to win a rushing championship or a passing championship or a receiving championship or anything from that stretch of the imagination,” Kelly said Monday. “We are just trying to win football games.”

Bears Place Martellus Bennett On IR

December 8th, 2015 at 2:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bears have placed tight end Martellus Bennett on injured reserve, ending his season with four weeks left to play, the team announced today (via Twitter). To replace Bennett on the 53-man roster, the club has signed free agent tight end Rob Housler.

It’s been an eventful for year for Bennett, who had been battling a rib issue. The Pro Bowler saw his numbers dip in 2015 after he set new career-highs across the board in 2014. While he has still caught 53 balls, Bennett was rumored to be unhappy with his role in the team’s offense under new head coach John Fox and offensive coordinator Adam Gase.

Bennett’s agent dismissed the notion that there’s any sort of rift between his client and the Bears, but considering the 28-year-old had been hoping to sign a new contract earlier this year – skipping the team’s voluntary minicamp but eventually reporting – it’ll be an interesting situation to watch this offseason. Bennett has one year left on his contract with Chicago, and is owed a non-guaranteed base salary of just over $5MM in 2016.

As for Housler, the former Cardinals tight end had some productive years in Arizona in 2012 and 2013, but saw his role reduced last year before leaving the team in free agency. He played for the Browns earlier this season, but caught just one ball in six games with the club.

Agent: No Rift Between Bears, Martellus Bennett

December 4th, 2015 at 1:57pm CST by Zachary Links

FRIDAY, 1:57pm: “There isn’t any rift or tension [between Bennett and the Bears,” agent Kennard McGuire tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). “Whoever is making these remarks should stand up to them.”

THURSDAY, 9:09am: Martellus Bennett was absent from the Bears’ 17-13 win over the Packers on Thursday night due to a rib injury. At least, that’s what both the team and the tight end claim. However, sources tell Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune that Bennett was acting out in practice two days before the game because he was upset with how he was being deployed in a red-zone package. It seems possible then that Bennett’s absence was sparked by frustrations over his usage and his contract as the latter issue led to him skipping voluntary offseason workouts.

Head coach John Fox was dismissive when asked if Bennett was upset with how he is being used. “You will have to ask him about that,” Fox said. “I don’t know. I don’t really care. I get upset too. I think he is one of the top-five targeted tight ends in the league.” Indeed, Bennett is No. 5 among tight ends with 76 targets and was No. 3 going into Week 12, trailing only Rob Gronkowski and Greg Olsen.

Bennett is earning $4.9MM with a $100K workout bonus for the 2015 season. He’s under contract for one more year with a base salary of $5.085MM and another $100K workout bonus. Currently, the 28-year-old has the 13th highest deal in the league (per Over The Cap) and he likely wants to be compensated closer to the top 5.

NFC North Notes: Patterson, Bennett, Lions

November 5th, 2015 at 5:16pm CST by Luke Adams

With Stefon Diggs emerging as the Vikings‘ top explosive young receiver, a role that Cordarrelle Patterson had previously been expected to occupy, Patterson tells Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that he’s not worried about his future in Minnesota.

“I don’t need to worry about my future,” Patterson said. “I’m here. I’m here for a reason. If they wanted to let me go, they would have let me go when the trade [deadline] was here. I’m not worried about anything.”

Although Patterson isn’t sure why he’s barely seen the field this year, he says he just wants “to control what I can control,” and is trying to make the most of his limited snaps. Here’s more from around the NFC North:

Bears tight end Martellus Bennett doesn’t sound thrilled by his role in the Bears’ offense, but tells Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times he’s not going to complain about not getting more looks. “That’s a bad employee,” Bennett said. “I just kinda keep my head down and go to work. Because when you say something, you become the a–hole, even if it’s a valid point. So I just avoid drama.”
Bears GM Ryan Pace has scouted Cal’s Jared Goff and Michigan State’s Connor Cook in person this season, and will constantly be on the lookout for the type of elite franchise quarterback he had in New Orleans with Drew Brees. Still, as Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune writes, Jay Cutler has shown positive signs under new offensive coordinator Adam Gase, and the guaranteed salary left on his contract suggests he’s likely to be Chicago’s quarterback again in 2016.
While Sheldon White is taking over for Martin Mayhew as the Lions‘ general manager on an interim basis, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com identifies five potential candidate for the permanent GM job in Detroit.

Bears Notes: Allen, Young, Forte, Ratliff

September 29th, 2015 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

NFL teams typically don’t make many trades once the season begins, since new offensive and defensive systems can be tricky to learn on the fly, and salary cap considerations and draft pick compensation can make it challenging to find the right deal. However, the Bears were certainly active on Monday, consummating two trades that sent defensive players out of town. Chicago sent veteran pass rusher Jared Allen to the Panthers, then dealt linebacker Jon Bostic to the Patriots.

The Bears have lost their first three games, have seen their starting quarterback – Jay Cutler – go down with an injury, and have now traded away two key contributors on defense. Everything points to the team looking ahead to the 2016 season, as the rebuilding process moves forward under new head coach John Fox.

Here’s the latest out of Chicago, with plenty of items on those two trades:

Ken Harris, Allen’s agent, tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) that the trade process for his client began when Allen and Bears GM Ryan Pace discussed a mutually beneficial option for both of them. Presumably, both the player and team decided a trade would be the best course of action.
Pace issued a statement yesterday, indicating that the Bears’ depth at linebacker allowed them to trade Allen, and adding that the team “will continue to be aggressive in finding ways to improve.” Head coach John Fox also noted that moving Allen will give Willie Young a chance to play more (Twitter links via Rich Campbell of the Chicago Tribune).
The disastrous Allen contract is a good lesson for Pace and the Bears, who should focus on building through the draft in the future, rather than trying to build through free agency, writes Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune.
As Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap observes, Allen is the third big contract jettisoned by the Bears this year — the team also cut Tim Jennings and his guaranteed salary, and traded Brandon Marshall to the Jets a year after extending him.
Jeff Dickerson of ESPN.com believes it’s time for the Bears to listen on trade offers for running back Matt Forte, whose contract expires after the season. In Dickerson’s view, it’s also worth gauging interest on Cutler, Alshon Jeffery, and Martellus Bennett.
As two defenders depart, another returns — nose tackle Jeremiah Ratliff is back today from his three-game suspension, and the Bears will have a roster exemption until Thursday for him, tweets Howard Balzer of The SportsXchange. By Thursday, Chicago will have to either cut Ratliff or officially give him a spot on the 53-man roster.

NFC Notes: Mincey, Eli, Bennett, Saints, Pack

July 31st, 2015 at 7:20pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here’s a look at the latest from around the NFC:

Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett said the team and defensive end Jeremy Mincey, who is holding out from training camp over a contract dispute, have had some back and forth regarding a new deal, according to Charean Williams of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Twitter link). The 31-year-old Mincey started all 16 games last season and totaled 46 tackles, six sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. He’s due to earn $1.5MM this year.
Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who is entering the final year of his contract, hasn’t set a deadline on getting an extension done, tweeted the New York Daily News’ Ralph Vacchiano.
Bears tight end Martellus Bennett said in June that he’s “always working on a new contract,” but he changed his tune Thursday, per ESPN’s Jeff Dickerson. “I’m not even worried about a contract right now,” he said. “It’s just business. I have no hard feelings against anybody.” Bennett, who caught 90 passes and made his first Pro Bowl trip in 2014, has two years left on his contract and is set to earn a base salary of $4.9 million this season.
The NFL suspended Saints tight end Orson Charles for one game without pay for violating its personal conduct policy, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). The league’s discipline process is confidential, meaning it’s unclear what Charles was suspended for, but Evan Woodbery of NOLA.com wrote that Charles received diversion in February for a 2014 “road rage” incident. The 24-year-old has appeared in 29 NFL games, all with the Bengals (none since 2013), and caught nine passes.
Friday was rough for Washington cornerback Bashaud Breeland: The league suspended him one game for a past incident involving marijuana possession and he suffered an apparent right leg injury during practice. ESPN’s John Keim reports (via Twitter) that it’s an MCL injury and Breeland will miss 4-6 weeks.
The Packers worked out ex-Sacred Heart running back Keshaudas Spence on Friday, according to Weston Hodkiewicz of the Press Gazette (via Twitter).