Bennett not open to home town discount

[onanygivensunday]

I'm certain that Pete and John already have a maximum cap number/signing bonus/annual average salary in mind for Michael.

Hopefully, Michael will re-sign with the Hawks before March 8th for that amount.

If not, then it's a wait and see situation.

He'll likely get a higher offer elsewhere but may still re-sign with Seattle.

If not, "Bye Michael... it's been a GREAT year being back together. Take care."

 

[Trenchbroom]

Not completely fair to compare Tate and Bennett. Bennett's 28, he doesn't have another contract ahead of him like Tate and these other younger players. So it's hard to blame him for wanting to get as much as he can.

BUT, I still say he'd take a little less to come back here over somewhere else where he'll lose 12 games a year and never sniff the playoffs again.

Exactly. He gambled that he would have a great season here, he did, he's up for his biggest contract of his life.

Good luck Michael!

 

[Subzero717]

This was actually a topic on radio as i was driving home yesterday. Bennets numbers are nearly identical to his numbers in Tampa. The question was asked, "does winning a SB change your value that much. He is a year older etc. Is the market for him going to be significantly better this year than last?

 

[MidwestHawker]

This might signal the end for Bennett here, and if so then that's too bad, but I'll certainly wish him well. Seems like an awesome guy and certainly played a big part in getting us our first title.

With that said, he might just be a lot more savvy than Golden Tate in playing the leverage game correctly. Tate was fairly dumb to just turn his cards face up and say that he would take less to stay; I'd welcome him at my poker table anytime. Every free agent should be talking like Bennett is, regardless of their true intentions.

 

[AbsolutNET]

Well he did come here on a show-me one year contract and played out of his mind. He deserves to be paid what he's worth. Who knows if we'll be willing to do it but I will miss him if he's gone

Yeah, it's why he was brought it and it helped get the Hawks a ring. If he doesn't return, that's a bummer, but there's a Lombardi in Seattle partly because of his "audition."

 

[volsunghawk]

Bennett earned whatever contract he can manage to get this season and then some. To do what he did while switching between DE and DT is simply amazing.

I don't know that he'll be looking to "break the bank," but he's right in that he shouldn't be expected to give a discount to anyone. He took a gamble on himself last year signing a one-year deal when players usually love the long-term deals that give them more security. And he knocked it out of the park, so the man deserves to get paid what the market will offer him.

I just hope it's us making that offer. I would imagine that his comments about wanting to stay in Seattle would mean that if offers are similar, he'll pick the one from the Seahawks over uprooting and heading elsewhere.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

This was actually a topic on radio as i was driving home yesterday. Bennets numbers are nearly identical to his numbers in Tampa. The question was asked, "does winning a SB change your value that much. He is a year older etc. Is the market for him going to be significantly better this year than last?

From listening to interviews with JS, Holmgren and some other front office people over the past week, it's pretty clear that being on a SB winning team DOES inflate a player's value in free agency.

Other teams want what we have, and that doesn't just mean front office people, philosophy, work environment.....it goes all the way down to our players that can go right into their locker room and command respect and attention. It means a lot to bring in a player that can say "listen up, I won a SB, and THIS is how we did it, so get to work."

 

[lukerguy]

I do believe it's posturing to some extent. What kind of a moron (Tate) says they're willing to take a discount to play somewhere. Even if you believe it (which I think many Seahawks do), you don't say it. However, Bennett made it sound like money was the only consideration in his decision which is BS. No one in their own right mind would want to play for Oakland for the best 5 years of their career for a total of $500K more per year- that's like $300K after tax per year. The difference between 25 wins over 5 years, and 65 wins over 5 years is hugely important to quality of life for these players.

 

[onanygivensunday]

This was actually a topic on radio as i was driving home yesterday. Bennets numbers are nearly identical to his numbers in Tampa. The question was asked, "does winning a SB change your value that much. He is a year older etc. Is the market for him going to be significantly better this year than last?

That's a very good point.

Bennett made $4.8M this year on a one-year deal.

Seems to me that we should be able to sign him for close to $6M/year on a 3-year deal with a suitable signing bonus and portion guaranteed.

 

[Subzero717]

This was actually a topic on radio as i was driving home yesterday. Bennets numbers are nearly identical to his numbers in Tampa. The question was asked, "does winning a SB change your value that much. He is a year older etc. Is the market for him going to be significantly better this year than last?

From listening to interviews with JS, Holmgren and some other front office people over the past week, it's pretty clear that being on a SB winning team DOES inflate a player's value in free agency.

Other teams want what we have, and that doesn't just mean front office people, philosophy, work environment.....it goes all the way down to our players that can go right into their locker room and command respect and attention. It means a lot to bring in a player that can say "listen up, I won a SB, and THIS is how we did it, so get to work."

I dont disagree but to what extent? Does his salary double or triple because he played on a SB team? What is his value to all the other teams? How does he fit with what they do? I mainly bringing it up because I really dont think it is that big of an issue.

 

[AgentDib]

Agree with MidwestHawker; if you were an agent this is exactly what you would want your player to be saying.

Combining this with Bennett's comments on SiriusNFL, I read this as more of a threshold thing than a percentage thing. He is looking for a contract with a lot of guaranteed dollars (age 28) of a certain size that qualifies as getting paid, and isn't willing to take a contract of a lower category (another 1 year or short term deal) to stay with Seattle if another team out there would give him that threshold "set for life" contract. On the other hand, if there are lots of teams making big offers and Seattle or Chicago were in the mix then I think he would choose one of them over a team that was paying a tiny percentage more, because players do value being on a winning team. It's more fun, you make more money playing in the playoffs/Super Bowl, and team success can be a large source of individual bonuses.

 

[halps80]

He's good, but he's replaceable. The money is needed elsewhere, let him walk.

 

[pmedic920]

Everybody makes good points. The way I see it is, we better get used to this scenario. We will be seeing it played out many times over the next few years.
I wish we could keep the team together but it's not gunna happen. Hopefully JS & PC keep workin the magic.

 

[drummerseahawkboy]

One key thing that everyone is not mentioning with Bennett is he still has that torn rotator cuff from 2012 that he decided to not have surgery to repair in 2013. Remind you this was from a couple articles in March last yr. Personally this has got to be put in consideration too...

 

[DavidSeven]

This was actually a topic on radio as i was driving home yesterday. Bennets numbers are nearly identical to his numbers in Tampa. The question was asked, "does winning a SB change your value that much. He is a year older etc. Is the market for him going to be significantly better this year than last?

Paul Kruger. Won a championship with the Ravens then signed a big contract with Cleveland. His numbers were never eye-popping, and Cleveland is regretting that deal big time now.

 

[volsunghawk]

Agree with MidwestHawker; if you were an agent this is exactly what you would want your player to be saying.

Agreed. Negotiations haven't started yet, so the last thing you want to do is reduce your leverage before everything else. Bennett can start by asking for the moon and negotiate down to a deal that makes both sides happy, but starting out saying "Yeah, I'll take less" hampers that.

You'll notice how quickly Tate walked back the "discount" talk.

 

[AROS]

I hope we resign Bennett but I cannot fault the man for saying what he's saying. He's being dead honest and I appreciate that. If Schneider can work his magic and make it work to pay the man what he wants while retaining our key players and being able to sign our draft picks and FA guys, then it's a win-win all around. If we can't afford Bennett it will be a shame but if there ever was a team that is not strangle held by a one player mentality it's this one. We WILL be fine, one way or the other.

 

[MidwestHawker]

You'll notice how quickly Tate walked back the "discount" talk.

I like to imagine his agent berating him after he first said what he did like Jackie Chiles berating Kramer on one of several episodes of Seinfeld.

"WHO told you to say that you'd take a discount?!"

 

[plyka]

This was actually a topic on radio as i was driving home yesterday. Bennets numbers are nearly identical to his numbers in Tampa. The question was asked, "does winning a SB change your value that much. He is a year older etc. Is the market for him going to be significantly better this year than last?

That's a very good point.

Bennett made $4.8M this year on a one-year deal.

Seems to me that we should be able to sign him for close to $6M/year on a 3-year deal with a suitable signing bonus and portion guaranteed.

Not going to happen. I think Bennett is looking for Sherm/Earl type money, which is what premier defensive linemen get. That's 10-12m per year for a number of years. If I was the Hawks I would easily bring him back for 6m for 3years without even a second look. But that's not what premier linemen make.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

This was actually a topic on radio as i was driving home yesterday. Bennets numbers are nearly identical to his numbers in Tampa. The question was asked, "does winning a SB change your value that much. He is a year older etc. Is the market for him going to be significantly better this year than last?

From listening to interviews with JS, Holmgren and some other front office people over the past week, it's pretty clear that being on a SB winning team DOES inflate a player's value in free agency.

Other teams want what we have, and that doesn't just mean front office people, philosophy, work environment.....it goes all the way down to our players that can go right into their locker room and command respect and attention. It means a lot to bring in a player that can say "listen up, I won a SB, and THIS is how we did it, so get to work."

I dont disagree but to what extent? Does his salary double or triple because he played on a SB team? What is his value to all the other teams? How does he fit with what they do? I mainly bringing it up because I really dont think it is that big of an issue.

Oh no definitely not double or triple his worth, but there is value there.

It'll be interesting to see what Bennett gets, whether here or elsewhere..........because he's a unique D-Lineman. He's kinda a hybrid lineman who can line up anywhere. Not too many of those guys in the league, which makes me think someone's going to give him a lot of money.