As a new NFL season creeps closer, Michael Bennett and Sam Bradford look like two players who will head in with a lot to prove. Both are not currently happy with their respective contractual situations, as different as those situations may be.
Bennett, a defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks, is coming off a fantastic year in which he made his first Pro Bowl. He would like to make more money, despite having two years left on the four-year, $28.5 million deal that he signed in the 2014 offseason. But the 30-year-old says he absolutely loves Seattle and has no plans of holding out to show his disapproval of his current deal.
Bradford, quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, is a different story. After a decent first year with the Eagles in 2015, he signed a fresh two-year deal to stay with the team in March. That new contract includes more than $20 million in guaranteed money. Despite the payday, Bradford freaked out when the Eagles traded for the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft to take rookie Carson Wentz. With his job security seemingly threatened, Bradford demanded a trade, slammed the team, and threatened to hold out if he wasn’t dealt.
And, as it turns out, Bennett does not seem to care much for the way Bradford has handled himself throughout the offseason.
“I listened to Sam Bradford again. I just almost threw up,” Bennett said. “I can’t believe Sam Bradford is complaining about making $40 million in the next two years, and because he actually has to compete for a position. This guy, this guy right here definitely sets a bad tone of what a player should be.
“If I was his teammate … how can you play with a guy that doesn’t want to compete at a high level and feels like his position should be solidified without even putting up the stats or the wins to back that up?”
Bennett has never been one to shy away from having an opinion. He doesn’t seem to be holding back in regards to his thoughts on Bradford, but he also makes some good points. There’s a good chance that at least some of Bradford’s teammates lost respect for their quarterback after seeing how quickly he was to give up on the team at the first sign of having to fight for his job as QB1, and you can’t really blame them for that.
You can’t fault Bradford for wanting to be a starter — and I’m sure it was disheartening to learn of the trade for a potential franchise QB after just having signed a new deal in Philly — but he’s also still in a position where he needs to earn that spot at the top of the depth chart.
Sure, he’ll most likely be under center to start next season as the team tries to groom Wentz. That being said, Bradford hasn’t won anything and his numbers haven’t been good enough to solidify a long-term starting gig. Throwing a tantrum and acting like he was entitled to that position was an immature move from a guy who a lot of people within the organization are counting on to be a leader, at least for the next few years.
Bennett realized that and, to Bradford’s credit, it seems like the quarterback is starting to, as well. Whether it’s because he’s cooled off or has realized he doesn’t have much leverage, he showed up to work and has been saying the right things. Of course, saying the right things off the field won’t do him much good if he can’t show up and perform under center, so we’ll just have to wait and see if he’s truly forgiven.
