The Philadelphia Eagles added some depth to their defensive line Wednesday by trading for Michael Bennett.
But it sounds like they are getting a bit more than just some help up front.
Bennett was traded to Philly from the Seattle Seahawks, and though he’s certainly been a productive defensive end over his nine-year NFL career, the three-time Pro Bowl selection also reportedly was a bit of a nuisance to his coaches last season.
The 32-year-old was described in a not-so-positive light by some ex-coaches in a column by the MMQB’s Albert Breer.
“I wanted to address first what the Eagles are getting from the Seahawks: A player who isn’t quite what he was and picked his spots more than he has in the past, according to the three offensive coaches I asked about him,” Breer wrote. “He was also a pain in the ass for the Seattle coaches. The good news? With the depth of the Eagles defensive line, Bennett will be more of a spot player there, and Philly’s locker room, on paper, is a good fit.
Breer added later in the column:
“Bennett became, to some degree, a problem for the coaches last year and his play was less consistent with a lower top end at 32.”
Yikes.
As Breer mentions, there is no dearth of talent manning the defensive line for the Eagles already, so they don’t have to force something to work with Bennett simply out of desperation.
Nevertheless, being described in such a way by your former team isn’t exactly encouraging for the team you are set to join.
