In the lead-up to Super Bowl XLIX between the Patriots and Seahawks, I asked then-New England offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo about the problems presented to his offense by then-Seattle defensive end Michael Bennett. DeGuglielmo paused, sighed, and said plainly, “We don’t know how to block him.” As a Seattle-based writer, I had every idea just how good Bennett was, but even I was a bit gobsmacked when DeGuglielmo then compared Bennett to… Reggie White. New England’s inability to block Bennett was proven in the game itself, and Bennett showed his versatility to a ridiculous degree. On New England’s first four offensive plays, Bennett lined up at left end, left tackle, right tackle, and right end, and hurried Tom Brady on three of those plays. The fourth play was a run. Bennett had already established himself as one of the league’s best multi-gap pass-rushers, but this was above and beyond. Bennett didn’t have a sack in the game, but he did generate five quarterback hits, a holding penalty, and he changed the entire structure of New England’s passing game—fearful of Bennett’s mad rush to the pocket, they went with quicker drops and more angular routes. Belichick knows exactly what’s he’s getting with Michael Bennett. Neutralizing Bennett was the main focus of the Patriots offensive gameplan in Super Bowl XLIX. https://t.co/ei3Cw7J6PR — James Light (@JamesALight) March 9, 2019 And now, with a to-be-finalized trade that will send the Eagles a fifth-round pick for Bennett and a seventh-round pick in return (Bennett spent the 2018 season with the Eagles after a trade from Seattle), the Patriots will have the man who once terrorized their quarterback in the most important game of the 2014 season. Bennett’s older now, and one may wonder just how productive he can still be. In 2018, having turned 33 in November, Bennett amassed 12 sacks, 22 quarterback hits, and 44 quarterback hurries. That total of 78 pressures, per Pro Football Focus, tied Bennett for second in the league among edge rushers behind Dee Ford’s 83 with J.J. Watt and… Patriots defensive end Trey Flowers, who ended his 2018 season with 11 sacks, 16 hits, and 51 hurries. It’s not yet known whether the Bennett trade means that the Pats have given up on re-signing Flowers—the No. 1 impending free agent on my board—but from a financial and production perspective, this is a value adjustment of typically Belichickian proportions. Flowers is expected to get $16-17 million per year with his next contract. He’ll turn 26 in August, he probably has his best football ahead of him, and he was the primary pass-rusher on New England’s defensive line. Bennett had more help in the form of Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, and Chris Long, but he still brought a ton of disruption. And when he officially becomes a Patriot, Bennett’s new team will be on the hook for a cap hit of just $7.2 million as part of the three-year, $29.5 million contract extension he signed with the Seahawks in 2016. It’s a good value deal, but what will the Patriots get in Bennett as he jumps into his mid-thirties—generally a time when edge-rushers tend to fall off a cliff in terms of production? Based on his 2018 tape, this may be one of the better bargains of the 2019 offseason, because Bennett is still fully capable of consistent disruption from several different angles.<doc-sep>FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- There could be a Bennett brothers reunion in New England, with Michael set to join the team via trade and Martellus contemplating a return to football. The Philadelphia Eagles have informed Michael Bennett that they are planning to trade him to the Patriots, the defensive end told ESPN's Josina Anderson on Friday. With that trade set to be finalized, tight end Martellus Bennett is interested in coming out of retirement to join his brother in New England, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. The Eagles would receive a fifth-round pick in the 2020 draft and send Michael Bennett and a 2020 seventh-round pick to the Patriots, a league source told Schefter. Philly.com was first to report that a trade was close to completion. Bennett played in 16 games (10 starts) last season and totaled nine sacks. He has 63 sacks over his 10-year career. He told NFL Network earlier Friday that he was looking for a pay raise. He is scheduled to earn a base salary of $6.2 million in 2019 with a $1 million roster bonus. Martellus Bennett played 10 seasons in the NFL before announcing his retirement after the Patriots released him last March. If the Bennetts play together next season, they would be another set of brothers on the Patriots' roster. Jason and Devin McCourty were part of New England's Super Bowl-winning team this season, though Jason is set to be an unrestricted free agent. A potential Bennett brothers pairing could take place in New England, with Martellus, left, considering coming out of retirement following the news that Michael will be traded to the Patriots. Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Michael Bennett could have a quick reunion with the Eagles, as they are set to host the Patriots next season. By acquiring Bennett, it could soften the blow if the Patriots lose defensive end Trey Flowers, who led New England in sacks each of the past three seasons, in free agency. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Bennett had 51 total pressures last season to tie for 13th in the NFL. Flowers led the Patriots with 45 pressures. Bennett, 33, told Anderson that Patriots coach Bill Belichick has been fond of his game. Locked in at a reasonable salary for the upcoming season, the Eagles recognized there could be a market for Bennett given the lack of quality pass-rushers in free agency. Trading Bennett also avoids any potential headaches for the Eagles when it comes to snap distribution. Philadelphia re-signed Brandon Graham to a three-year deal last week. He is projected to start opposite Derek Barnett, who was placed on injured reserve in October following shoulder surgery. Chris Long is still under contract, although he has not publicly committed to playing football in 2019. Michael Bennett could help fill in at defensive end if Trey Flowers leaves the Patriots in free agency. John Jones/Icon Sportswire Bennett had a limited role prior to Barnett's injury last year and was asked to rush from the right side of the line after spending much of his career on the left side. He called his new role "a test of character" in early October, and while making sure he put team first in his comments, was not shy about wanting to play more. He got his wish down the stretch last season and made the most of it, posting 5.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss over the second half of the season. Bennett still faces a charge of felony injury to the elderly after he allegedly shoved his way onto the field to celebrate the Patriots' -- and his brother's -- Super Bowl LI win. Among the people he allegedly pushed through was a 66-year-old paraplegic woman. The next court date is slated for March 27, according to court records. Bennett's attorney has stated that his client will enter a not guilty plea if the case goes to trial. Bennett has played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2009 to 2012), Seattle Seahawks (2013 to 2017) and Eagles (2018). In his final year with the Buccaneers, he played under head coach Greg Schiano, who has joined the Patriots' staff in 2019 in a top defensive role. Martellus Bennett played for the Dallas Cowboys (2008 to 2011), New York Giants (2012), Chicago Bears (2013 to 2015), Patriots (2016, '17) and Green Bay Packers (2017) and totaled 433 career receptions for 4,573 yards and 30 touchdowns. The 31-year-old also delivered countless colorful soundbites, as his big personality was hard to miss wherever he played.<doc-sep>
After Eagles defensive end Michael Bennett refused to take a pay cut this week, it became pretty clear that he wouldn't be returning to Philadelphia for the 2019 season. Instead, it looks like he'll be heading for New England. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Eagles have hammered out a trade with the Patriots that will send Bennett to New England along with a 2020 seventh-round pick. In return, the Eagles will acquire a 2020 fifth-round pick. The move makes a lot of sense for both teams. On the Eagles' end, the trade was all about gaining some much needed salary cap space. By trading Bennett, Philly has now freed up $7.2 million toward their cap in 2019. During an interview with NFL Network on Friday, Bennett was asked about the possibility of taking the pay cut that the Eagles had requested and he shot the idea down almost immediately. "You're always caught off guard whenever your name is brought up in the trade blocks, or being traded, but you understand that people want to acquire your services and we're in a tough situation as far as the salary cap," Bennett said. "But I'm not willing to take a pay cut. I actually want a pay raise at this point, and so whatever happens just to know that whatever team I go to I want to get paid more than I get paid right now." The Philadelphia Inquirer had reported on Friday that the Eagles would trade or release Bennett if he didn't agree to the pay cut. On the Patriots' end, New England will be landing a player they actually tried to get last offseason. Back in March 2018, the Patriots made an offer to the Seahawks for Bennett's services, but the offer came in too late and Seattle ended up shipping the defensive end off to Philadelphia. During his one season with the Eagles, Bennett had a highly productive year with 34 tackles (15 for loss), nine sacks, 30 quarterback hits, and two forced fumbles. That 2018 season came after he made three straight Pro Bowl appearances from 2015 to 2017 with the Seahawks. The bottom line is that Bennett can still play. The addition of Bennett likely means the Patriots are going to let Trey Flowers walk in free agency. The team could have Flowers with a franchise tag this year, but the team took a pass on making that move because it would have cost them just over $17 million. Basically, Bennett will be a much cheaper replacement and that's because he's only scheduled to make $6.2 million (2019) and $7 million (2020) in base salary over the final two years of his contract. Although Bennett is looking for a raise, he'll still be much cheaper than Flowers even if the Patriots were to add another $1 million or $2 million per year in base salary. The Patriots will be the fourth team that Bennett has played for in his career. The undrafted free agent spent the first four years of his career in Tampa, before moving on to Seattle for five seasons (2013-17). During his time with the Seahawks, he played in two Super Bowls, including Super Bowl XLIX, which was a 28-24 loss to the Patriots.