NE trades DE Michael Bennett to DALNew England Patriots get: 2021 seventh-round pick (conditional)
Dallas Cowboys get: DE
Michael BennettPatriots grade: C
Cowboys grade: A
The writing was on the wall for the short-lived relationship between Bennett and the Patriots, who acquired the pass-rusher from the Eagles in the offseason. Bennett was expected to start as the replacement for
Trey Flowers in the Patriots' defense, but with the likes of
Jamie Collins and
John Simon assuming larger-than-expected roles in a historically impressive defense, Bennett instead spent time as a reserve. After playing just 130 snaps through six games -- including 11 in Week 6 -- Bennett reportedly got into a disagreement with defensive line coach Bret Bielema, after which
Bennett was suspended for the Week 7 blowout victory over the Jets.
In the end, it was probably best for everyone involved to move on. The Patriots will save about $2.6 million in base salary and per-game roster bonuses by trading Bennett in what amounts to a salary dump, given that they're only receiving a seventh-round pick in the 2021 draft for him. (The pick can become a sixth-rounder if he or the Cowboys meet as-yet-unspecified triggers.)
Even given that the Patriots have done just fine without Bennett in a starring role, I have to figure the best-case scenario would have been to keep Bennett around as part of New England's inevitable postseason run. He had 2.5 sacks and four knockdowns in limited time this season, but he was coming off a nine-sack, 30-knockdown campaign for the Eagles in 2018. Those numbers are just ahead of what
Za'Darius Smith produced for the Ravens a year ago and right behind
Yannick Ngakoue's 2018 numbers for the Jags. By sheer pass-rush production, Bennett has been a superstar.
Michael Bennett disappointed in his short stint with the Patriots, but he could help Dallas down the stretch. Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire
And yet, the Patriots are now the third team to trade him away for what would appear to be pennies on the dollar since the 2018 offseason. There's certainly a huge disconnect between his on-field production and his trade value, and three of the league's most well-regarded organizations -- the Seahawks, Eagles and Patriots -- have now moved on from him across the past 19 months.
For the Cowboys, though, this is absolutely a risk worth taking. They're only on the hook for about $1.8 million in base salary over the remainder of 2019, with $8.25 million in unguaranteed compensation left on his deal in 2020. Dallas ranks 22nd in pressure rate through seven weeks, so adding Bennett offers the defense a much-needed boost behind
DeMarcus Lawrence and
Robert Quinn.
With
Tyrone Crawford now on injured reserve, I suspect you'll see coordinator Rod Marinelli use Bennett on the interior on passing downs to get Dallas' three best pass-rushers on the field at the same time. The Cowboys might also grow tired of Bennett, but the possible reward here greatly outweighs the modest risk.
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