Fallout From Michael Bennett Trade
The Seahawks and Eagles hammered out a major trade on Wednesday, as defensive lineman Michael Bennett will now head to Philadelphia in a deal that also included a swap of draft picks. Seattle, for their part, looks to be undergoing an overhaul on the defensive side of the ball: not only have the Seahawks made a change at coordinator, but Cliff Avril, Kam Chancellor, and — most recently — Richard Sherman are among the veterans who could be moving on. Along its defensive line, Seattle is likely betting former draft bust Dion Jordan can play a larger role in 2018, while trading Bennett will also clear cap space that could be used to re-sign defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson.
Here’s more fallout and reaction to today’s deal:
- Philadelphia wasn’t the only club interested in acquiring Bennett, as the Patriots, Browns, Buccaneers, and the previously-reported Falcons also had their eye on the veteran — and versatile — defensive lineman, tweets Dianna Russini of ESPN.com. None of the reported teams should come as complete surprises: the Patriots, for one, have landed Bennett’s brother Martellus on two separate occasions, while the Browns boast the most salary cap space and draft capital in the league. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, also reportedly discussed acquiring edge rusher Robert Quinn before Los Angeles dealt him to Miami.
- The Eagles and Seahawks first struck agreement on Tuesday morning, but a third team jumped in and the deal stalled, reports Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). While it’s unclear what club approached Philadelphia at the last second, it would make sense if it were one of the teams listed above. By Tuesday night, it was apparent Bennett would be dealt to the Eagles, but Philadelphia’s front office was still researching the deal, per Rapoport. While this is purely speculation, it’s possible Seattle was able to wrangle a bit more compensation for Bennett given that unnamed third team’s interest.
- With Bennett now in Philadelphia, the Eagles seem incredibly likely to part ways with fellow defensive lineman Vinny Curry. More than half ($5MM of $9MM) of Curry’s 2018 base salary will become fully guaranteed on March 18, so the Eagles will likely need to make a decision on his fate before that date. While reports initially indicated Curry would be released, the Eagles are — or at least, were — working to retain Curry at a cheaper salary. Philadelphia was projected to be $10MM+ over the cap before acquiring Bennett, so it likely won’t be able to afford a luxury like Curry.
- Speaking of cap space, Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com provided a good breakdown of where the Eagles now stand following the Bennett trade, and also examined several players whom Philadelphia could cut or trade in order to comply with the cap.
49ers, Broncos Discuss Aqib Talib Trade
The Broncos and 49ers have discussed a trade that would have sent cornerback Aqib Talib to San Francisco, according to Dianna Marie Russini of ESPN.com (on Twitter). However, that doesn’t look likely to go down at this time. Meanwhile, Talib’s preference is to be released so that he can sign with a team of his choosing and his top choice is the Patriots, Russini hears. 
Talib has been identified as a trade/release candidate for the Broncos due to his $11MM cap number in 2018. The veteran does not have a no trade clause, but any team acquiring him would want to know that he on board with joining them, so he effectively has the ability to scuttle a deal. That may be the case with the 49ers, who may also want Talib to adjust his contract.
Talib has two years remaining on the six-year, $57MM pact he signed with Denver in 2014. With Chris Harris Jr. and Bradley Roby already in-house, the Broncos can afford to move on from him. What they really can’t afford to do, however, is keep hm at his current rate. The Broncos have several needs to address this offseason, chiefly at the quarterback position.
Signing with the Patriots would represent something of a homecoming for Talib, who spent parts of two seasons with New England earlier this decade. The Patriots already have one high-priced cornerback in Stephon Gilmore, but they’re expected to lose Malcolm Butler to free agency. If Talib is willing to accept less than the $11MM base salary he’s scheduled to collect, New England would seem like an ideal destination.
The 49ers, meanwhile, also make sense as a landing spot for Talib given the state of their secondary and their ample amount of cap space. San Francisco could certainly take on Talib at his current salary, but it’s possible the club has asked Talib to accept a pay reduction under the terms of a trade. After ranking 28th in pass defensive DVOA a season ago, the 49ers can use all the help they can get in their defensive backfield.
Talib, 32, appeared in 15 games with the Broncos in 2017, a campaign which marked his fourth in Denver. Despite his advanced age, Talib is still playing like one of the NFL’s premier cornerbacks. Pro Football Focus graded him as the 15th-best CB in the league, while Talib finished third in Football Outsiders’ success rate.
Patriots To Release Martellus Bennett
Big changes are on the horizon for both Bennett brothers. The Patriots are releasing tight end Martellus Bennett, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter). 
The move will create about $6MM in salary cap space for New England, bringing their total cap space up around $23MM. That flexibility is hugely important for the Pats as they explore new deals for tackle Nate Solder and wide receiver Danny Amendola.
Bennett was due a $2MM roster bonus on March 14, putting the Pats in a tough position. Although he is immensely talented, Bennett did very little for the Packers (who were burned on an expensive free agent deal) and Pats in 2017.
Bennett will garner plenty of attention on the open market, but questions persist about his commitment to football and his abrupt exit from New England. For his part, Bennett wants to continue playing in 2018.
Bennett, who turns 31 on Saturday, had a great year for the Patriots in 2016, tallying 55 receptions for 701 yards and seven touchdowns.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/6/19
Today’s minor moves:
New England Patriots
- Waived: DE Caleb Kidder
Patriots’ Brian Flores To Call Defensive Plays
The Patriots do not plan to name a new defensive coordinator, but linebackers coach Brian Flores will call the club’s defensive plays, according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports. Flores take over the duties of former DC Matt Patricia, who left New England to become the Lions’ head coach.
[RELATED: 2018 NFL Coordinator Tracker]
Flores, 37, had been viewed as the Patriots’ coordinator-in-waiting since Patricia accepted the Detroit job, and while Flores will continue in New England without a title promotion, he will accept new responsibilities. Well-respected in NFL circles, Flores interviewed twice for the Cardinals’ head coaching position despite never holding a coordinator gig. He’s spent his entire coaching career with the Patriots, beginning as a scout before moving to the coaching staff in 2008.
Bill Belichick has been known to give former assistants time to grow before placing them in coordinator roles. Patricia, for one, called New England’s defensive plays for two seasons before being given the DC title. Additionally, current offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels called plays for the Patriots in 2005 despite not having the official coordinator moniker.
Flores will have his work cut out for him in 2018, as the Patriots defense ranked 29th in yards allowed and 31st in DVOA a season ago. New England figures to lose starting cornerback Malcolm Butler to free agency, but linebacker Dont’a Hightower should return after injuries limited him to only five games in 2017.
Patriots To Drop DT Alan Branch
The Patriots have exercised Kenny Britt‘s option for 2018, but they won’t be retaining defensive lineman Alan Branch. The Patriots are parting ways with Branch, a source tells Doug Kyed of NESN (on Twitter), allowing him to become a free agent. 
Branch was one of the Patriots’ top defensive performers in 2016, but he was hardly a factor in 2017. The Patriots made him a healthy scratch for an October game against the Bucs and he finished the season on the sidelines thanks to a meniscus tear. Given all of that, the Patriots were not expected to bring Branch back with a cap number of $4.55MM.
Kyed reports that the Patriots are declining Branch’s option, but Branch’s contract was previously reported as a straight-up two-year deal. In any event, it appears that the Pats will save $3.55MM by dumping Branch with just $1MM in residual dead money.
In 2016, Branch tallied a career-high 49 tackles to go along with 1.5 sacks. He ranked 25th in overall performance among Pro Football Focus’ 127 qualified interior defensive linemen that season, but this year he ranked just 98th.
Patriots Exercise Kenny Britt’s Option
Kenny Britt is staying in New England. The Patriots informed the wide receiver that they will be exercising his option for the 2018 season. 
This time last year, the Browns signed Britt to a four-year, $32.5MM deal. That contract turned out to be an absolute disaster as he had just 18 catches for 233 yards and two touchdowns for Cleveland. When John Dorsey replaced Sashi Brown as the Browns’ top exec, his very first move was to release Britt, even though it meant eating the guaranteed portion of his contract. Britt went unclaimed on waivers, but the Pats quickly scooped him up.
The Patriots paid Britt the prorated portion of the veteran minimum ($900K) in the first year of his deal with an option for $2018 worth $1.5MM with a chance to reach $2MM. Given that Britt is not far removed from his 1,000+ yard campaign with the Rams, his contract could turn into one of the league’s most tremendous values.
Britt saw time in only three games for New England and did not suit up for the playoffs. With a full offseason to acclimate to the Pats’ offense, he may be in position for a significant role this season. His presence may also allow the Pats to allow Danny Amendola to leave in free agency, should his asking price climb too high.
Patriots Could Hire Todd Graham
- Former Arizona State head coach Todd Graham attended the scouting combine with the Patriots‘ staff, and it’s possible he’ll join New England as a consultant, tweets Mike Jurecki of ArizonaSports.com. The Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick often enjoy close relationships with current and former collegiate head coaches — former Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, notably, previously worked as something of an informal advisor for New England. Graham, for his part, was fired by Arizona State following the 2017 campaign, but he’s also led teams at Rice, Tulsa, and Pittsburgh. The 53-year-old has a career record of 95-61.
Pats Notes: Solder, Bielema, Rookie RBs
- Nate Solder is easily the best left tackle set to hit the open market, and as Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald reports, the Patriots have yet to make an offer to him (although the later-than-usual start to free agency means that there is still time to get something done). Solder’s preference is to remain in New England, but if the Pats cannot lock him up within the next week, Howe says Solder will seek the best offer on the open market and will not accept a hometown discount. Sources suggest he could receive upwards of $12MM annually, and if he does find a new home, the Pats will be left with plenty of uncertainty at LT.
- Nate Solder is easily the best left tackle set to hit the open market, and as Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald reports, the Patriots have yet to make an offer to him (although the later-than-usual start to free agency means that there is still time to get something done). Solder’s preference is to remain in New England, but if the Pats cannot lock him up within the next week, Howe says Solder will seek the best offer on the open market and will not accept a hometown discount. Sources suggest he could receive upwards of $12MM annually, and if he does find a new home, the Pats will be left with plenty of uncertainty at LT.
- Former Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema attended the scouting combine as a representative of the Patriots, per Doug Kyed of NESN.com. However, it is unclear whether Bielema will be joining the team’s coaching staff. He and New England head coach Bill Belichick are close, and Belichick may have just been doing Bielema a favor by bringing him to the combine.
- As Mike Reiss of ESPN.com observes, the Patriots could be looking closely at running backs in this year’s draft, as Rex Burkhead and Dion Lewis are both set to hit the open market. Former Patriots executive and current Lions GM Bob Quinn recently stated that this year’s crop of collegiate backs is generally strong in pass protection, which is an asset that New England values as much as anything when it comes to its RBs. As such, Reiss suggests need could align perfectly with opportunity when the draft rolls around. Likewise, this year’s draft contains more than usual off-the-line linebackers with first-round abilities, which could also suit New England quite nicely.
Free Agency Notes: Jets, Colts, Lewis, Burton
Here’s a look at the latest free agency buzz:
- Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears the Jets and Colts are “possible destinations” for Patriots free agent running back Dion Lewis. The language in Fowler’s report is admittedly soft, but free agents are technically forbidden from talking to rival teams during this time, so this may be a wink-wink acknowledgement that both teams have engaged in some secretive discussions prior to the legal tampering period on March 12. Recently, Mike Florio of PFT indicated that the Texans, 49ers, and Raiders were also potential destinations for the 27-year-old (28 in September).
- No surprise here, but free agent tight end Trey Burton is a popular man. With the Eagles unlikely to retain him, 16 clubs have already checked in on his status this week, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (Twitter link).
- Some executives who spoke with Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com indicated that Dontari Poe could be a fit for the Buccaneers. Poe, who did well on his one-year platform deal with the Falcons, may also fit the Redskins, Broncos, and Colts, per JLC.
- More from JLC, who cautions of a potential bidding war between the Bears and Chiefs over backup quarterback Chase Daniel. The Saints would like to retain the veteran, but they might not be able to afford him with a big money extension on the horizon for Drew Brees. The Bears and Chiefs both make sense for Daniel given the ties he has to both coaching staffs.