Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett has left Rosenhaus Sports and doesn’t currently have representation, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (via Twitter). Without a new agent in place, and without a clear indication of what Bennett’s plan for the offseason is, it’s hard to know for sure what his motivation for the change was.
However, it’s worth considering that Bennett was vocal last offseason about wanting the Seahawks to address his contract, suggesting in the summer that he was contemplating a holdout. Bennett ultimately didn’t hold out and didn’t get a new deal, so perhaps he’s looking for an agent that will help him take a different approach to the situation this time around.
Let’s check in on a few more odds and ends from around the NFL….
- Speaking on Thursday about his team’s approach to free agency, GM Jon Robinson said that just because the Titans are prioritizing value pickups, that doesn’t mean they’ll be bargain-basement shopping all offseason. Robinson said he’s not afraid to spend money in free agency, adding that the team will go after an impact player if the fit is right and there’s a chance to get him (three Twitter links via Jim Wyatt of TitansOnline.com and Terry McCormick of TitanInsider.com)
- CFL pass rusher Tristan Okpalaugo, who has recorded double-digit sacks in consecutive seasons for the Toronto Argonauts, is drawing interest from multiple NFL teams. Okpalaugo has received an offer from the Jets, and had a “great visit” with the Seahawks, according to agent Brett Tessler, who says his client is visiting the Cardinals next (Twitter links).
- In a conversation with ESPN’s Hannah Storm, Saints head coach Sean Payton said that he can’t see himself coaching another team besides New Orleans for the rest of his career, praising the franchise’s structure and its absence of dysfunction. Katherine Terrell of the Times-Picayune has the details and the quotes from Payton.
- Jason Fitzgerald of Over the Cap lays out a case for why the representatives for free agents ought to be seeking 20% more than the current market prices for their clients. Meanwhile, Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com also explores the probable increase in the value of free agent contracts, writing that NFL teams will have somewhere in the neighborhood of $1 billion in total cap space this offseason.
Can a player sign without an agent?
He can — Russell Okung plans on doing it. The upside: Avoid paying a cut of your earnings to an agent. The downside: A lack of negotiating experience means you might not max out your value.
There are some players like baseball’s Huston street who are their own agent