Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett is never short of interesting quotes, and he didn’t hold anything back Tuesday when discussing quarterback contracts.
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The 29-year-old has been in a dispute with the NFC West side over his contract during the off-season, despite the high level of his play for Pete Carroll’s men.
“Kam has earned his take in the NFL, and he’s played through a lot of injuries and he’s one of the best players in the NFL”, Bennett said.
Using Ryan Tannehill-who signed a six-year extension that will pay him $95 million with the Miami Dolphins-as an example, Bennett stated, “Quarterback is the only position in the NFL where you could be mediocre and get paid”.
Even when he has been on the field he has been, as Bennett put it, mediocre, completing 58.9% of his passes and compiling a 18-30-1 record. In a preseason game last Saturday, Suggs was flagged for roughing the passer on a hit on Bradford that was later deemed a legal play by the NFL. You got hit in an NFL game. “He gets hit in his knees and he’s about to cry?” He has three years remaining on the four-year, $28.5 million deal he signed before the 2015 campaign. So what makes him different?
He did admit that while his teammate and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson doesn’t get hit often, “When he does, it looks like it hurts”. “We’ve got the 12s.’ So they run wild with all that stuff”, said Huard.
Bennett also credited Peyton Manning and Cam Newton for the toughness they show after being hit. What makes his life better than mine? He gets up with a sad face like the world just ended because he got hit. RG3 is running around and he gets hit and I’m like, ‘stop running the ball if you don’t want to get hit.’ Throw the ball. “If I was like Ryan Tannehill, and say the most games I ever won was seven, how could you get $100 million for that?” He doesn’t like me.’ But that’s where people run with it, Michael.
“But there’s a whole bunch of young guys who haven’t done anything in the NFL that are looking for flags”, he said.
Bennett had considered holding out of training camp in his own quest for more money, but decided against it at the last minute.
“I mean, I’m unhappy”, he said. But the thing is, this is my job and I can’t let my unhappiness trump my professionalism.
Bennett jokingly compared his situation to marital discord.
“I think he deserves a raise and I’ve always seconded everything he’s done and hopefully he gets back soon and I think he’s one of the best players and I think the organization should reward him in some type of way”.
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“All these players in college football aren’t getting hit, then they come to the NFL, they’re underdeveloped and they want everybody to be their daddy”, he said. “I love the kids, those are my teammates”, Bennett said of his current contract.
