The Seattle Seahawks have signed defensive end Michael Bennett for $5 million on a one-year contract, per Pro Football Talk. No, that is not a typo. A one-year, $5 million contract. One the Buccaneers apparently refused to beat. I am absolutely stunned by this feat of ridiculous roster management by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
I can live with missing out on a bunch of cornerbacks who are good, but not great. But letting your best defensive end walk over $5 million? A key piece to your number one run defense and the team's leading sack artist? A player just entering his prime and still improving? This is ridiculous. The Bucs are now relying on three defensive linemen: Gerald McCoy, Adrian Clayborn and Da'Quan Bowers. One of them is coming off a knee injury, and one of them showed flashes but was hardly consistent last season. They have little depth, and just let their best edge player walk out the door because they thought they couldn't pay him $5 million for what would likely be 70% of all defensive snaps.
Insanity.
Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks have added Cliff Avril, Michael Bennett and Percy Harvin this offseason. To a team that came within seconds of getting to the NFC Championship game. While their only significant loss is a kick returner. Yeah. That's scary.