Michael Bennett booted from Seahawks practice by Pete Carroll
Things are getting a bit steamy in the Pacific Northwest with Michael Bennett.
Via NFL.com, the Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman was kicked out of practice on Thursday by head coach Pete Carroll after Bennett and Cliff Avril got into it with offensive guard Mark Glowinski in what was deemed more than just a boys-will-be-boys summer kerfuffle.
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“[The passion is] translating into sometimes we lose a little bit of the poise that we need,” Carroll said after practice. “We can’t play like that. You get in a skirmish, you get thrown out. That’s what happens. So that happened today. And that’s just the way you do it, the way we do it.”
Might there be something boiling beneath the surface here? Bennett, who turns 31 in November, rarely has sheathed his tongue, but that’s now a few attention-grabbing stories connected to his name in recent days — first, on his lingering contract status, which apparently isn’t improving, and then on his comments on Jay Cutler, who was his brother’s former teammate in Chicago.
None of that is wholly damning on its own, but Bennett and the Seahawks have not been on the same page completely for some time now. It’s certainly possible they could seek to trade him if he makes even more noise — it has been going on for two years now — about contract talks continuing to stalemate. Bennett is scheduled to make $7 million this season and $9.5 million in 2017 but wants to be paid like a top defensive end, which is more north of $10 million per year.
The Seahawks would have to get something notable back in a trade to consider it, so it’s not something that appears likely. He’s a unique defender who can play almost any technique inside and out and remains a productive cog on a defense that could get close to 2013 levels again. This is also a Super Bowl contender, so trading talented players isn’t likely high on GM John Schneider’s list.
History suggests inaction is the most likely course. Marshawn Lynch pushed the Seahawks’ buttons for years, and they mostly bit their tongues or even tried to lure him back with more money. Kam Chancellor held out to start last season and won that battle with management. A lot of players have gotten their way financially in recent years with lucrative extensions, with Bennett a clear exception.
But team chemistry also is important, and Carroll knows that. Bennett and Russell Wilson are not the best of friends, and the team has gone all in with Wilson as their beacon. Perhaps that plus Bennett’s contract demands might be impetus enough to at least pursue a trade and see what the market might be. Still, the team is a bit shallow up front, especially with Frank Clark a bit nicked up in early training camp practices.
Something to keep an eye on though. Bennett might be a fan and media favorite with his unfiltered view on the world, but that doesn’t always go over as well inside NFL circles.
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Eric Edholm is a writer for Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at edholm@yahoo-inc.com or follow him on Twitter!
