Seahawks to Meet w/Michael Bennett's Agent About New Deal

[irocdave]

The FO made an exception for Lynch and JS said that if anybody complained he could just say "You're not Marshawn Lynch."

I think he could easily do the same thing for Michael Bennett. Bennett does a lot of things for this Defense that would make it easy to say "you're not Michael Bennett" if anyone had a problem with it.

Keep him happy.

If we had a thumbs up option I would have chosen it instead of posting.

MB is a legit bargain, has out played his contract, hasn't been a distraction, plays his ass off every snap and is a team leader. THIS is the guy you want to bend the rules for or at a minimum, move some of his money up and guaranty more this year. If Kam has a some what average year this year he has no leverage, just as he doesn't have leverage going in to this year.. If MB's play drops off this year, he doesn't have leverage going in to next years contract situation. Seems simple enough.

If MB has another great year, he will get his extension. If Kam has a great year, he might as well.

The players need to know they will get taken care of or traded if that is what they want so they can make the money. Especially on their 3rd contracts, which usually don't pay off for the team. Trading a player 1 year too early is better than trading them one year too late.

 

[dogorama]

He absolutely deserves more money, but it would be a mistake to give it to him.

There's really only two ways for this negotiation to go IMO:

1) '16 and '17 base or some portion thereof is converted to guarantees.

2) do the same thing but frame it as an extension with a player friendly signing bonus and very team friendly back end.

The Hawks could reasonably give Bennett another 4 million this year and be healthy under the cap (3 million wiggle still) and he'd still be underpaid, but it would surprise me if they did that.

You absolutely could not give him 4 mil more this year, read my previous post.

Called signing bonus
Gives him money this year, spreads the cap hit

Actually, you could do that.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

You absolutely could not give him 4 mil more this year, read my previous post.

you absolutely can, why do you think Bennet keeps calling Jimmy (and his 9mil fully deductible cap in the event of a trade) soft?

other options could be patrick lewis (1.6m) , hauschka (sacrilege! 2.7m), clemons (1.3m), and even Chancellor (5m) might be worth a look after last season's foobar.

So your solution is cut multiple players to extend a player under contract for two years already? Both you and Bennett better start getting real. Just a word of advice from how it actually works. Bennett needs to shut up and deal. Or just cut him already. Just make sure it's when he is screwed as he deserves. I hate his arrogant attitude and it seems he's learned nothing beyond give me the most money possible. Hi, Darrell Revis you good with your money and bullshit legacy? There are better ways if Bennett actually wants to negotiate. The thing is I'm not convinced he is or that this isn't bullshit game run by Amish his agent and himself.

 

[dogorama]

You absolutely could not give him 4 mil more this year, read my previous post.

you absolutely can, why do you think Bennet keeps calling Jimmy (and his 9mil fully deductible cap in the event of a trade) soft?

other options could be patrick lewis (1.6m) , hauschka (sacrilege! 2.7m), clemons (1.3m), and even Chancellor (5m) might be worth a look after last season's foobar.

So your solution is cut multiple players to extend a player under contract for two years already? Both you and Bennett better start getting real. Just a word of advice from how it actually works. Bennett needs to shut up and deal. Or just cut him already. Just make sure it's when he is screwed as he deserves. I hate his arrogant attitude and it seems he's learned nothing beyond give me the most money possible. Hi, Darrell Revis you good with your money and bullshit legacy? There are better ways if Bennett actually wants to negotiate. The thing is I'm not convinced he is or that this isn't bullshit game run by his agent and himself.

Be patient Michael... if you actually don't plan a Marshawn Lynch (knowing you are DONE). you will get your money.

I'm just glad that he, or me for that matter, doesn't have to negotiate with you, LOL.

 

[Fade]

99.9% of the time I would say no. I was against doing it for Lynch. (I was right). It sets a bad precedent.

Michael Bennett won't re-sign / do an extension with Seattle if they don't do anything with him now. He will be so pissed off he would just play out his deal, and sign somewhere else to spite the front office. (He would get more money on the open market anyway). Normally I would be cool with that, but I believe Michael Bennett has 4 more good years left in him.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

You absolutely could not give him 4 mil more this year, read my previous post.

you absolutely can, why do you think Bennet keeps calling Jimmy (and his 9mil fully deductible cap in the event of a trade) soft?

other options could be patrick lewis (1.6m) , hauschka (sacrilege! 2.7m), clemons (1.3m), and even Chancellor (5m) might be worth a look after last season's foobar.

So your solution is cut multiple players to extend a player under contract for two years already? Both you and Bennett better start getting real. Just a word of advice from how it actually works. Bennett needs to shut up and deal. Or just cut him already. Just make sure it's when he is screwed as he deserves. I hate his arrogant attitude and it seems he's learned nothing beyond give me the most money possible. Hi, Darrell Revis you good with your money and bullshit legacy? There are better ways if Bennett actually wants to negotiate. The thing is I'm not convinced he is or that this isn't bullshit game run by his agent and himself.

Be patient Michael... if you actually don't plan a Marshawn Lynch (knowing you are DONE). you will get your money.

I'm just glad that he, or me for that matter, doesn't have to negotiate with you, LOL.

I hope I'm wrong but I've rarely seen a situation like this beyond a quarterback go well in future years. Dude is replaceable it's too bad the F/O is buying into fear. It's not my money so I'm not mad or even emotionally invested just sad that we may be huge fools.

 

[dogorama]

[/quote]I hope I'm wrong but I've rarely seen a situation like this beyond a quarterback go well in future years. Dude is replaceable it's too bad the F/O is buying into fear. It's not my money so I'm not mad or even emotionally invested just sad that we may be huge fools.[/quote]

On some level I wonder if you are right on but it, like so many things in business, is a gamble. If the F/O didn't think we had a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl this year I don't think they would do it. It's a calculated risk and sometimes you have to take them. You are right though, it could come back to bite us on the a$$.

 

[dogorama]

I hope I'm wrong but I've rarely seen a situation like this beyond a quarterback go well in future years. Dude is replaceable it's too bad the F/O is buying into fear. It's not my money so I'm not mad or even emotionally invested just sad that we may be huge fools.

On some level I can't help but wonder if you are right on but it, like so many things in business, is a gamble. If the F/O didn't think we had a legitimate shot at the Super Bowl this year I don't think they would do it. It's a calculated risk and sometimes you have to take them. You are right though, it could come back to bite us on the a$$.

 

[vin.couve12]

At some point I can see things going the way of some sort of productivity matrix. The problem is the cap, but the cap was put there for good reason. It was to make things more even and thus more competitive, with an added bonus for the league as a higher overall net worth as a byproduct.

So long as the cap is there, as it should be, these kinds of things are inevitable. The coverage of such things more than pays for itself anyway. It's money out of thin air just because of pure interest by the viewer.

 

[Year of The Hawk]

I always wondered why people get so mad when a player is trying to get more money. This is his job. He is vastly underpaid. Yes people can call subjective or whatever but nobody reasonable feels he is paid near his value in this league. He has complained a lot but still showed up and performed. Why is he wrong??? Just because he plays for a football team we like he should just suck it up and deal s with making millions less than he deserves.
Also people say "he signed a contract be a man and live up to it". Well the owners hold all the cards in the CBA and holding out is about the only thing he can do. He cant quit and go to another league. Plus that is the way of thing in the NFL and has been for a loooong time. Not a recent phenomenon. IT IS THE CULTURE OF THE LEAGUE.
Do the people who think it is noble to live out a crappy contract also think it should be honorable for the team to pay a player what he deserves???

I dont personally like it when a player holds out when he is so valuable because it could hurt the team but I wont hate on the player personally when they try to do right for themselves.. Remember these players did not grow up rooting and loving this team (most likely some other team). It will be their only opportunity to make this kind of money.

 

[volsunghawk]

I always wondered why people get so mad when a player is trying to get more money.
...

Remember these players did not grow up rooting and loving this team (most likely some other team). It will be their only opportunity to make this kind of money.

You answered your own question.

It's because fans of the team feel they have more invested in the team, so when a player decides they want more money in a league with a salary cap, the fans feel that the player is hurting the team they root for.

Well, that, and because fans are often petty and small.

 

[gowazzu02]

I said it in the other MB thread. Cliff Avril walks in JS's office immediately after MB gets a new deal. They currently make the exact same amount.

Sherman next, He's now paid less then Peterson, Haden, Revis, Norman.

If we're going to just cave to players why did they hold strong last year with Kam which basically cost us one game, and played into another, basically costing us HFA and a shot at another SB.

 

[BadgerVid]

I always wondered why people get so mad when a player is trying to get more money. This is his job. He is vastly underpaid. Yes people can call subjective or whatever but nobody reasonable feels he is paid near his value in this league. He has complained a lot but still showed up and performed. Why is he wrong??? Just because he plays for a football team we like he should just suck it up and deal s with making millions less than he deserves.
Also people say "he signed a contract be a man and live up to it". Well the owners hold all the cards in the CBA and holding out is about the only thing he can do. He cant quit and go to another league. Plus that is the way of thing in the NFL and has been for a loooong time. Not a recent phenomenon. IT IS THE CULTURE OF THE LEAGUE.
Do the people who think it is noble to live out a crappy contract also think it should be honorable for the team to pay a player what he deserves???

I dont personally like it when a player holds out when he is so valuable because it could hurt the team but I wont hate on the player personally when they try to do right for themselves.. Remember these players did not grow up rooting and loving this team (most likely some other team). It will be their only opportunity to make this kind of money.

And I have always wondered why people want to blame the team when a player signing a contract to play 4 years for a schedule of payments and, after 1 or 2 years, feels "disrespected" if the team won't tear up that contract and give them a new one. Possibly if players were willing to take a chance on themselves and negotiate less guaranteed money and more performance based accelerators they could assure that they would not "outplay their contracts". Unfortunately, more and more want the chunk of guaranteed money and then start feeling underpaid when they start playing better than they did when they agreed to the schedule.

JMO...YMMV

 

[gowazzu02]

I always wondered why people get so mad when a player is trying to get more money. This is his job. He is vastly underpaid. Yes people can call subjective or whatever but nobody reasonable feels he is paid near his value in this league. He has complained a lot but still showed up and performed. Why is he wrong??? Just because he plays for a football team we like he should just suck it up and deal s with making millions less than he deserves.
Also people say "he signed a contract be a man and live up to it". Well the owners hold all the cards in the CBA and holding out is about the only thing he can do. He cant quit and go to another league. Plus that is the way of thing in the NFL and has been for a loooong time. Not a recent phenomenon. IT IS THE CULTURE OF THE LEAGUE.
Do the people who think it is noble to live out a crappy contract also think it should be honorable for the team to pay a player what he deserves???

I dont personally like it when a player holds out when he is so valuable because it could hurt the team but I wont hate on the player personally when they try to do right for themselves.. Remember these players did not grow up rooting and loving this team (most likely some other team). It will be their only opportunity to make this kind of money.

And I have always wondered why people want to blame the team when a player signing a contract to play 4 years for a schedule of payments and, after 1 or 2 years, feels "disrespected" if the team won't tear up that contract and give them a new one. Possibly if players were willing to take a chance on themselves and negotiate less guaranteed money and more performance based accelerators they could assure that they would not "outplay their contracts". Unfortunately, more and more want the chunk of guaranteed money and then start feeling underpaid when they start playing better than they did when they agreed to the schedule.

JMO...YMMV

The answer to your question is,,, It's just business. Basically. Players are looking out for number 1. The Org is doing the same. We just hope that they can figure it all out and put a good product on the field.

As Seinfeld famously said, sports fans just root for the laundry.

 

[ivotuk]

This team loves to talk about "Playing for Each Other."

If they really believe that, then it's time for them to back up their team mate, Michael Bennett, by going to bat for him and telling John Schneider "We understand that MB has VASTLY outplayed his contract, and we would understand it if you paid him more money, and WE support that."

Nobody makes this team go like Michael Bennett, nobody makes the locker room such a fun place to be like Michael Bennett, and nobody has "Marshawn Lynch-Like" influence on this team like Michael Bennett.

And don't say "Russell Wilson" because it's not the same. Russell Wilson is a QB, and it's painfully obvious that on ALL 32 teams, that the QB has substantial influence on a team. But no QB has the kind of impact that Marshawn Lynch had, and the next best thing to him, one of the reasons this team has been the #1 Defense in the NFL 4 years running is the influence of Michael Bennett. Heath Evans put him right there next to J.J. Watt, who is going to have back surgery. So actually, an argument could be made that Michael Bennett is the #1 Defensive Tackle in the NFL.

But I'm with Brock and Salk on the pay. Give him an extension that puts him in the Top 10. He's earned it, and that's not too much to ask of the team's cap space.

But it's time that Bennett's team mates stepped up to the plate and showed support for their defensive leader. Because their success is directly related to Michael Bennett's success.

 

[Year of The Hawk]

I said it in the other MB thread. Cliff Avril walks in JS's office immediately after MB gets a new deal. They currently make the exact same amount.

Sherman next, He's now paid less then Peterson, Haden, Revis, Norman.

If we're going to just cave to players why did they hold strong last year with Kam which basically cost us one game, and played into another, basically costing us HFA and a shot at another SB.

Not the same situation. Every player and contract is different. If Sherman was not even close to the top 15 paid it would be much closer to the same situation.

As you stated it is a business. For both sides. Lets just hope it works out for everyone. The team has done a good job of paying key players enough to make them happy (except this situation) but not kill the cap. I have faith in JS that things will work out.

 

[Hawks46]

Pull money in, extend new money on more years so it's a reworked contract with same money and a extension worked in and a signing bonus.

So not paying him more currently but extending him with a signing bonus to satisfy him and lock him up for more years.

Totally agree. Forward him some money, then extend him next year. They really need to show him a gesture for how hard he's playing and how good he's been....not to mention durable.

I'd also agree that Schneider doesn't need to create a situation where there's a line of guys at his door looking for more money.

 

[Largent80]

LOL, JS almost makes more than MB.

I think he needs a bag-o-bones thrown his way but he does not make nor break the Hawks.

 

[HawkGA]

I gotta say, the more I read or re-read Bennett's comments, the more I hope he doesn't get a new deal. His comments about people getting new deal all the time or that the team doesn't think he's worth anything . . . just stupid.

 

[jammerhawk]

I don't see this to be a huge new deal for Bennett or the team. I suspect there won't be any new money until next season when the whole deal will get redone. Meanwhile it could be possible to rejig the bonus $. He is being underpaid by present standards but is hardly starving.