Seahawks star defensive end Michael Bennett was a no-show at this week's organized team activities, and there's an obvious reason for that.
"Trying to get the contract right," Bennett said Friday at a charity event, per The Seattle Times. "I'll be there shortly. I don't know when I'll be there. Depends on the team and stuff. See how it works out."
In just the second season of a four-year, $28.5 million deal he inked last March, Bennett confirmed that he asked Seattle's front office for more money.
"Somewhere near the top seven at my position, top eight at my position," Bennett said after playing 85 percent of the team's snaps on defense last season. "Not a lot of guys play inside and out (tackle and end). Not a lot of guys do what I do. So I feel like I should be somewhere near there."
Said Bennett: "I just want to be in the realm of the guys that play like me."
Bennett's dominating performance at the Super Bowl capped a campaign that saw him emerge as one of the premier players at his position. From that angle, more money is warranted, but we don't expect Seattle to agree.
The team is in the middle of a lengthy contract discussion with quarterback Russell Wilson and used last offseason to forge lucrative new deals for safety Earl Thomas and cornerback Richard Sherman.
Bennett insisted this month that he never asked for a trade. Whether or not that happened, the Seahawks weren't about to ship him away -- and they aren't jumping at the chance to hand him more money.
"I think it's a great organization," Bennett said. "But at the end of the day, it's all about the business part of it, and sometimes people see your value as something else and sometimes you see your value as something different, and it's just part of the business."
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