The Seahawks admitted last week at the Combine that they were having “conversations” about defensive end Michael Bennett, and they shouldn’t lack for suitors in a trade.
And according to Vaughn McClure of ESPN.com, the Falcons have made a call.
No deal is imminent according to the report and other teams have also made calls (#MysteryTeam is on a roll). The 32-year-old Bennett has three years left on the contract he signed in December 2016. He had 8.5 sacks last year.
The Falcons have a clear need for pass-rush, as they have for several years. Last year’s sack leader Adrian Clayborn and nose tackle Dontari Poe are headed to free agency, and they just cut defensive end Derrick Shelby. They have some promising young edge-rushers in Vic Beasley and Takk McKinley, along with emerging defensive tackle Grady Jarrett. Bennett would lend some ballast to that group, giving them plenty of options to rotate and combine on third downs.
There’s also the small matter that Falcons coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel used to coach Bennett in Seattle, and agent Doug Hendrickson represents both Bennett and