Michael Bennett deserves to get paid for a dominant season that ended in a Seattle SeahawksSuper Bowl championship.
The defensive end, coming off a one-year, $5 million contract, won't be cheap, but is on the record saying he wants to remain in the Upper Northwest.
"I want to be back here 100 percent. I love the team, I love my teammates," Bennett said Wednesday, per The Daily Herald in Everett, Wash. "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."
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport said matter-of-factly on NFL Network's Super Bowl pregame show that the Seahawks would re-sign Bennett. The defensive end's comments back up that mutual belief.
The defensive end's brother, tight end Martellus Bennett, has publicly lobbied for Michael to join him with the Chicago Bears. Michael, however, prioritizes playing for Carroll over playing with his little brother.
"That doesn't matter much," Bennett 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."
The Seahawks benefitted from Russell Wilson's low contract number last season and have one more season until that number balloons. Contracts for Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman will also need to be addressed in the next 14 months.
At the end of the day, Bennett wants to stay in Seattle and the Seahawks want their premier pass rusher. However, when money starts talking, there is always that chance that the glimmer of the Super Bowl trophy could be forgotten.
*The "Around The League Podcast" recapped Super Bowl XLVIII live from MetLife Stadium right after the game. *
