The Seattle Seahawks have been a feisty bunch during training camp and the preseason. Michael Bennett has been involved in multiple on-field fights.
Meanwhile, best buddies Richard Sherman and Doug Baldwin just went at it during practice this week.
Whether this tells us anything about the mentality of the team heading into the regular season remains to be seen.
What we do know is that Baldwin himself isn’t necessarily losing any sleep over Bennett’s perceived lack of pay.
“It hard to take him (Bennett) serious when he talks about other guys taking food off his kids’ plate – when he is driving around here with 10 different cars, you know,” Baldwin said, via The News Tribune.
Bennett has spoken out publicly about his contract multiple times over the past several months.
“It is never-ending,” Bennett said back in July. “Especially when people are getting new contracts every day. You sit there and you’re like, damn, really?”
Bennett is currently in the midst of a four-year, $28.5 million contract he signed back in 2014. Considering the contracts that were thrown out to lesser defensive ends this past spring, Bennett might have a legitimate gripe.
Olivier Vernon agreed to a deal with the New York Giants that will pay him $17 million per season. Meanwhile, Malik Jackson’s new contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars will cost the team $14.3 million per.
Bennett is coming off a 2015 campaign that saw him lead the Seahawks with 10 sacks. He’s one of the leaders on the team, and a dominating force upfront.
It’s rather interesting to hear Baldwin come out and talk about Bennett after the receiver himself signed a huge extension mere months ago (more on that here).
As it is, this entire situation doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon.