Report: Bucs WILL NOT Tag Michael Bennett -- Do You Bite?

In reading tonight, I came across this interesting piece put out there a few days ago. Per Tampa Bay GM Mark Dominik himself, the Bucs will not be using any type of tag on Michael Bennett ...

http://thepewterplank.com/2013/02/2...anchise-tag-on-defensive-end-michael-bennett/

I could really foresee this guy in that Jason Jones role ... and doing VERY well in that capacity. I know that there is a bit of danger in the fact that Bennett has only put up the kind of numbers once in his career (last year) ... BUT, that said there is a big piece of me that really likes this guy a lot. I liked him quite a lot when he was here before and think he could be a potentially really nice addition.

Yep, I know that things could get expensive with him ... that we can only logistically have so many high dollar players on the roster ... and that it could potentially impact things with the cap down the road. But MAN, it sure would be nice if there would be a way the Hawks could nab him.

Signing him is probably a pipe dream ... but then again, we all thought the exact same thing with Zach Miller going in to Free Agency in 2011 -- and look what happened. Thoughts?

I still can't believe Ruskell let Bennett walk. And why? Because he wanted to a keep a second kicker on the roster.

I think it was because of a coach/GM conflict, similar to why they cut Jason Babin. But yeah, I'm so glad those days are over. Isn't everyone?

What's intriguing to me about this Michael Bennett news- is that Tampa must not think Bennett will get huge money in FA. If they thought that, they'd probably franchise him and hope to renegotiate later when his market isn't at it's peak.

So lets just say, 5/30 gets it done for Bennett. I think Seattle has to at least be in on that. He could probably start out as a Jason Jones type, but I'd love to see if he could make Red Bryant expendable at the 5-tech. Seattle will never reach it's pass rush goals with Red Bryant getting 700 snaps a year.

kearly":30uepgrv said:

I think it was because of a coach/GM conflict, similar to why they cut Jason Babin. But yeah, I'm so glad those days are over. Isn't everyone?

What's intriguing to me about this Michael Bennett news- is that Tampa must not think Bennett will get huge money in FA. If they thought that, they'd probably franchise him and hope to renegotiate later when his market isn't at it's peak.

So lets just say, 5/30 gets it done for Bennett. I think Seattle has to at least be in on that. He could probably start out as a Jason Jones type, but I'd love to see if he could make Red Bryant expendable at the 5-tech. Seattle will never reach it's pass rush goals with Red Bryant getting 700 snaps a year.

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That's pretty much what I was thinking as well ... and the reason that I brought this up. It's interesting to me that Bennett's fallen off the conversation radar recently around here and in the media ... and I have no idea why. I liked him A LOT when he was here before and really thought that it was a big mistake to simply let him go.

Now I'm also with you Kearly in thinking that's what Tampa's take on this is -- that he's not going to get a whole ton of money in FA. And that makes him very intriguing to me honestly. I brought up Zach Miller in association with him because if you'll recall ... a whole lot of us on this board were drooling over the idea of adding him in free agency, but a lot of us also thought that was merely a pipe dream. Well, as free agency rolled on ... and Miller sat out there a bit, come to find out that wasn't so much of a Cheech and Chong idea as some of us thought. That's kind of what I could see happening with Bennett as well.

Now I love Red Bryant as well ... but I completely agree with you on that as well. To me, Red's whole conversion to this 5 Technique run stuffing role was really out of necessity more than anything. I don't know that I buy that was ever Pete Carroll's ideal or anything.

So, IF we could potentially land ourselves a guy who can rush the passer, set the edge, AND even bring down opposing ball carriers in the backfield (Bennett's shown he can do all that) -- to the tune of around 5 Years/$30 Million, I believe you'd most certainly have to think about that.

Trrrroy":zmo99m56 said:

I still can't believe Ruskell let Bennett walk. And why? Because he wanted to a keep a second kicker on the roster.

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Agreed. I'd love to be able to bring him aboard. IMO, he'd be great fit in both he pass rush and run stoppage.

I would think that if we signed Bennett it would also spell the end for Clem or Red.

getnasty":2anmcu1n said:

I would think that if we signed Bennett it would also spell the end for Clem or Red.

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Red, he's not a Leo but an interior pass rusher on 3rd downs yes.

Heck yeah!