Michael Bennett was on Good Morning Football today.

Like you and I, he does not want to take a pay cut. He wants a raise:

Thoughts:

  1. Bennett was excellent last year. Second best defensive lineman behind Fletcher Cox.
  2. He has no guaranteed salary in 2019 and 2020. He’s 33 years old. I can understand why the guy would want to get one final pay day.
  3. Other guys on the Eagles are restructuring their deals and working with the front office to help the cap situation because they enjoy playing here and want to be part of this team moving forward.
  4. That Texas court case involving the paraplegic Super Bowl worker has yet to be closed.

At the Inquirer, Jeff McLane reports that the Eagles plan to release or trade Bennett:

The Eagles have discussed the possibility of trading Bennett with other teams, according to multiple NFL sources. The team’s leverage in negotiations is that it could bring him back for 2019, but two sources close to the situation said Bennett will eventually be released, barring something unforeseen, in lieu of a deal.

I guess it is what it is. The Eagles like the younger Brandon Graham and just extended him. Derek Barnett is a 1st round draft pick returning from injury. Those are your starters, and we’ll see what happens with Chris Long. If Bennett isn’t willing to take a cut or work a new deal with the Eagles, then they appear to be moving on. This is a strong draft on the d- line, so I’d use that 25th pick on the best tackle or defensive end remaining on the board.

Still, I don’t blame Bennett for wanting his money after the season he just put together. I don’t think his stance is wrong, it’s just something the Eagles can’t agree to after extending Graham. Plus, both guys are used at defensive tackle in 3rd and long situations, so even Bennett’s ability to generate pressure from the interior sort of overlaps with Graham’s skill set.

Happy Friday.