The Seattle Seahawks may be facing a major defensive upheaval. While in Cliff Avril and Kam Chancellor it is unclear whether both can continue their careers and Richard Sherman returns after a serious injury, the Hawks are currently working on a trade from Defensive End Michael Bennett.
Immediately after the end of last season, Bennett had said frankly that he did not expect to play in Seattle next season. Coach Pete Carroll confirmed on Thursday on the fringes of the Combine that he had not spoken to defensive Lineman for a while.
Carroll went on to say that there are “conversations in all directions” with regard to Bennett – according to ESPN they are, among other things, heading in a very specific direction: according to the ESPN, Seattle should already talk directly to other teams about a Bennett trade. However, which teams are not leaked yet.
Bennett, who came to Seattle from Tampa Bay in 2013, turned into a real free agency bargain with the Seahawks. The 32-year-old became a central pillar in the Hawks’ successful defence, where his versatility has earned him a number of defensive line positions.
Should he actually leave Seattle now, this could lead to a radical change in the Seahawks defense: The contracts of Sheldon Richardson, Byron Maxwell, DeShawn Shead and Brad McDougald, among others, expire, and Carroll also confirmed a few weeks ago that Chancellor and Avril may have to terminate their careers prematurely due to injury.
Cornerback Richard Sherman had to be operated on both Achilles tendons in the meantime and even if he himself sees his future in Seattle there are always rumors about a possible separation.