The Reporter (Lansdale, PA)

Birds looking to get impact from Bennett

- By Bob Grotz bgrotz@21st-centurymed­ia.com @BobGrotz on Twitter

Eagles pass rusher Michael Bennett is a lot like your average guy.

When work permits Bennett to take time off, he does. He spent most of the offseason taking care of family responsibi­lities. Only the minicamp is mandatory, and that’s where he was Tuesday at the Nova-Care Complex.

“This is the only job in the world where it’s voluntary,” Bennett said, “and people expect you to show up.”

Bennett has had an eventful offseason, starting with the trade that sent him to the Eagles for wide receiver Marcus Johnson and a fifth-round draft pick. The Seahawks are divesting themselves of high-priced veteran defenders with Super Bowl rings.

Later in March, Bennett was charged with allegedly assaulting a 66-year-old paraplegic security worker at Super Bowl LI in Houston. After the Patriots beat the Falcons, Bennett pushed

curity “including the elderly woman who was part of the security team,” according to prosecutor­s, to get to his brother Martellus Bennett, who played for the Patriots.

If Michael Bennett is found guility of a single felony charge of injury to the elderly, he could get a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

“Obviously that’s not me,” Bennett said. “I’m just a father and a husband who tries to do the right thing. The most important thing to me is just to try to be a great human being.

“I just let my lawyer handle it and just do what I need to do on the field. Me being here, it’s just all about football. I’m trying to be a great player, be a great teammate

and be a great citizen.”

Eagles head coach Doug Pederson needs the 32-yearold Bennett to rush the passer. Coordinato­r Jim Schwartz sent Bennett out with the second-team defense during the team drills Tuesday. The coaching staff needs to get a snapshot of how to incorporat­e the versatile pass rusher into the lineup this season with Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Chris Long and Derek Barnett.

“I’m pretty comfortabl­e just getting used to the different terminolog­y,” Bennett said. “They’re just going to move me around. One day you do this and the next day you do that. It’s just about learning the defense and trying to fit in the best way you can. You’re playing with a lot of great all-stars around you like Fletch, BG, Chris, Derek. There’s a lot of good guys around me.”

Pederson isn’t sure what he’ll get out of Bennett this week.

“It will be tough with three days of work,” Pederson said. “Obviously he’ll be in there with the first unit just understand­ing the defense and getting that down. But he’s a veteran guy. I’m not worried too much about where he’s at right now. But it’s just exciting to be able to have everybody out there and see all the pieces these next couple of days.”

Running back Darren Sproles also was at camp returning punts. He hasn’t appeared for the organized team activities (OTAs) or practiced with the Eagles since fracturing his forearm and tearing up a knee in the first month of last season.

“I’m very pleased where he’s at,” Pederson said. “If you know Darren like I do, you know he’s ready to get back out there and go full

speed. But at the same time I want to make sure these guys are 100 percent.”

Sproles said he feels healthy enough to be a full-go but hasn’t been cleared.

The objectives of this minicamp are the same as the first two for Pederson.

“Well, No. 1, keep everybody healthy,” Pederson said. “Don’t have any further injuries from where we’re at. It’s a chance to get the team together for the first time and really it sort of springboar­ds us right into training camp. So, some good work in the next couple of days, situationa­l things that I’ll put together in practice. And then really on Thursday, just wrap it up and keep the guys focused and motivated for July 25, when they get back. But I think the goal this week is not to have any further injury.”

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