Michael Bennett was a steal for the Seahawks in 2013. Signed on a one-year, $5 million deal, Bennett produced at a level far above what he was paid. You could understand why Bennett might want to cash in during free agency this year.
Despite the opportunity to earn some cash, the end says that he wants to be back in Seattle "100 percent."
"I want to be back here 100 percent. I love the team, I love my teammates," Bennett said. "[Head coach] Pete [Carroll] does a great job of letting us play, so I want to be a part of that. I know we can go back and win a Super Bowl again with all these guys. It's a business, but I definitely want to be back."
The funny thing about the Seahawks' defense is that it's so good because it's so deep on the defensive line. And because Seattle is so deep, the guys who play on the line don't get to put up the big-time stats they might on a different defense.
Coming back to Seattle would almost certainly require giving the Hawks a discount of sorts. But it would allow Bennett to continue competing for Super Bowl rings.
Bennett -- in my opinion -- should get the money while he can still cash in. But perhaps he really does love Seattle as much as he says he does; Bennett would rather stick in Seattle than team up with Martellus Bennett, his brother, on the Bears.
"That doesn’t matter much," Michael said. "I know he wants me to come out there and get a chance to play with him, but I'm definitely a Seahawk and I definitely want to be here for the rest of my career."
Michael Bennett can make that happen. But he's not going to get market price from Seattle if that's what he wants to do.
