The Seattle Seahawks proved near the end of the 2019 season they are not afraid to bring back former players – who are past their prime – if they believe they can come in and help this team win.
While Robert Turbin and Marshawn Lynch are probably not candidates to be back again in 2020, the Seahawks could have their eye on another 2013 Super Bowl champion who is a free agent, and would help them at their biggest area of need.
While Michael Bennett is 34 years old and clearly not the player he once was, he still recorded 6.5 sacks last season, split between the Cowboys and the Patriots. That’s 2.5 more than anyone on Seattle had, and is nearly 25 percent of Seattle’s 28 total sacks from last year.
He had nine sacks back in 2018 with Philadelphia as well, and even if he continues to regress as age catches up to him, there’s little doubt he could have an impact on this Seattle pass rush that is expected to lose Ziggy Ansah and potentially one of Jarran Reed and Jadeveon Clowney to free agency.
Bennett flashed potential interest in a return by retweeting an article at 710 ESPN suggesting Seattle consider re-signing him, and he responded negatively to Brock Huard’s argument against bringing him back – although that tweet has since been deleted.
For a #Seahawks team that needs upgrades along the defensive line in the worst way, particularly if Jadeveon Clowney leaves, Michael Bennett and Ndamukong Suh are interesting options in free agency.
Column by Jim Moore (@cougsgo).https://t.co/SkYgJkYC9g
— 710 ESPN Seattle (@710ESPNSeattle) February 10, 2020
Bennett does have a checkered past, with reports of him reading books during Pete Carroll’s meetings and run-ins with law enforcement – although Carroll denied the book story and Bennett was never charged with any crimes. Plus, his veteran presence, familiarity with the team’s defensive schemes, and performance last year point to a player who could help this team right away.
The Seahawks don’t want to finish with less than 30 sacks two years in a row.
Bennett will be an affordable way to help ensure that doesn’t happen.
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