After being waived by the Packers last week, tight end Martellus Bennett told his agent to inform teams not to claim him due to his injured shoulder, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald.
“It’s not about, ‘Could you play?’ It’s, ‘Should you play?’ It was one of those things,” Bennett said. “Right now, I’m just like, (expletive) it. At first, I told my agent to tell no teams to claim me because I was still trying to get the surgery. So when Bill (Belichick) called and said they claimed me, I was like, ‘No (expletive) way.’ ”
Bennett, who was apparently considering taking a desk job with Netflix for the rest of the season, will attempt to play through his injury as he closes the campaign with New England. Bennett disparaged Green Bay’s medical staff on his way out of town, but current and former Packers have since come to the unit’s defense. The Packers, meanwhile, may attempt to recoup a portion of Bennett’s signing bonus, and they could do so even if Bennett plays the rest of the year, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.
Bennett’s case is interesting on a number of levels, but its ramifications on the NFL’s compensatory pick system are unclear at the moment. At a base level, Belichick’s claim of Bennett seems designed to test the comp pick formula, as Nick Korte of Over the Cap notes (Twitter links). Players who are cut before Week 10 typically don’t count towards the compensatory process, but Bennett’s situation is unique given that he was claimed off waivers. However, Korte ultimately projects Bennett will not factor into the comp pick formula.
Claiming Bennett was essentially a no-risk move for the Patriots — Bennett is due a $2MM roster bonus on the third day of the 2018 league year, reports Ben Volin of the Boston Globe, and if New England declines it, the club will have no further financial investment in the veteran tight end. The Patriots could also come away with even more windfall if the Packers file a grievance against Bennett. If Green Bay wins such a grievance, the Patriots would be entitled to a $13MM (Bennett’s salaries in 2018-19) credit on their cap next season, per salary cap guru Troy Chapman (Twitter link).
Is there any question that the Pats are one of the smartest organizations from head to toe ever?Year after year they have drafted quarterbacks that they have been able to flip at crazy prices and then flip some of those picks for future picks. On top of knowing how the system works and using that to their advantage. What an amazing organization!
I agree. I’m a huge Pats fan but still think that Belichick the GM hasn’t really helped this team with many of his deals this year. Also one could argue that the Pats could’ve gotten more for both back-up QB’s Jacoby Brisset and Jimmy Garapolo. I mean it’s not like when Jimmy Johnson picked QB Steve Walsh after already having a young Aikman and then flipping him to the Saints for a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd round draft picks.
At cheating.
This is tampering, just as they tampered with Blount.
Savvy.
It’s not tampering one bit, GB shouldn’t have cut him. They were worried he’d retire and collect money, if anyone one is in the wrong it’s Green Bay as an organization.
Simple case of tampering.
Rodgers gets hurt. Then suddenly Bennett wants to retire. He quits on his team he breaches the spirit of his contract. He becomes a distraction to some, a cancer to others in the lockerroom. He exaggerates an injury. And forces his way out.
And is rewarded for it.
Where is the tampering?