Bennett was a bad fit from start
GREEN BAY – Had tight end Martellus Bennett not posted on his Instagram account that he planned to retire after this season, he might very well be home for the season collecting $52,941.17 a week through the end of the calendar year.
Instead, Bennett is on the street, cut by the Green Bay Packers on Wednesday with the designation “failed to disclose a previous condition.”
It is the end of a match made in quicksand.
Bennett never fulfilled the promise the Packers saw in him when they chose him over incumbent Jared Cook and signed him to a three-year, $21 million free-agent contract March 10.
Over the course of training camp and the regular season, Bennett never missed a single practice and was never on the injury report. He played in 88% of the offensive snaps over the first six games and was used in a multitude of ways in coach Mike McCarthy’s offense.
Bennett ranks fourth on the team in receiving with 24 catches for 233 yards (9.4 average) and no touchdowns. He has been almost a nonfactor in the passing game, even when quarterback Aaron Rodgers was healthy, and leads the team by a
wide margin with seven drops.
The circumstances under which Bennett parts ways with the Packers are fishy.
Is it a coincidence that the 32-yearold Bennett’s injury was reported to the team three days after he said this on Instagram: “After conversations with my family I’m pretty sure these next 8 games will be the conclusion of my NFL career. To everyone who has poured themselves and time into my life and career. These next games are for you. Thank you.”
Three days later, after the players had returned from their bye week, Bennett declined to elaborate on his decision to reporters in the locker room.
On that same day, Bennett reported to the Packers that he had a shoulder injury that needed attention and did not attend practice with the rest of his teammates. On Nov. 2, he was added to the injury report and he did not practice the rest of the week.
Is it a coincidence that it popped up two weeks after he saw his chances for a second straight Super Bowl vanish with the crack of Rodgers’ right collarbone on the U.S. Bank Stadium turf in Minnesota?
The Packers listed him as doubtful on the injury report Saturday and McCarthy said Bennett was “still taking a visit or two,” intimating that the tight end was seeking a second opinion, which the team must pay for under terms of the collective bargaining agreement.
Bennett was not seen on the sideline Monday night against the Detroit Lions.
Early Wednesday afternoon, McCarthy said in his news conference that Bennett had met with the doctors Tuesday and “there’s a number of opinions that he’s working through.” Later in the day, he was cut.
From the perspective of those left in the locker room to salvage something out of this season, it may appear that Bennett is bailing out on the team.
The Packers undoubtedly were worried about that as well, as setting precedent that a player could announce his retirement one week and then report an injury the next that conveniently allows him to collect his money while on injured reserve.
On the other hand, how did the Packers not know about this shoulder condition? Sources said Bennett has had trouble with his shoulder for several seasons, including last year with the New England Patriots.
Did they just miss the diagnosis? Maybe it wasn’t bothering Bennett when he reported for off-season workouts and he didn’t think it was necessary to report it since he had missed only five games over the past five seasons, all due to a rib injury.
But it’s surprising they didn’t know anything about it given how medical reports are shared around the NFL.
Whatever the case, this was a bad fit from the start.
It’s unlikely it had anything to do with Bennett sitting during the national anthem in Week 3 before the start of the Cincinnati game. McCarthy supported Bennett’s right to protest and hasn’t cut the other two players who sat with Bennett, tight end Lance Kendricks and cornerback Kevin King.
Bennett contributed heavily to the statement the Packers players’ released asking fans to link arms in the stadium. The players have linked arms on the sideline every game since Week 4.
The only place where Bennett really had an impact with the Packers was in his blocking. He is one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL and had a considerable impact on the success rookie running back Aaron Jones had in the first half of the season.
The Packers now will have to get along with Kendricks and Richard Rodgers, neither of whom are as powerful in the run game. Both have a chance to have more of an impact in the passing game, however, especially Kendricks.
The one thing that is certain about this move is it won’t be the last anyone will hear of the Packers and Bennett.
It is practically a certainty the Packers will seek to recoup a portion of the $6.3 million signing bonus they paid Bennett on March 10 as part of his $21 million deal.
By adding the designation of “failed to disclose condition” to Bennett’s release, the Packers are saying that Bennett was not truthful about disclosing any ongoing condition that might be affecting or could eventually affect his ability to perform.
Under terms of the CBA, they can petition through a mutually agreedupon arbitrator for Bennett to return the prorated portion of the signing bonus (at least $4.2 million), all of which would be added back to their salary cap if they are successful.
It is unclear whether they can withhold the remaining $423,529 Bennett is owed as part of a $900,000 base salary that became guaranteed when he survived the cut down to 53 or any base salary he was paid for services rendered.
Regardless of how the case ends, the Packers will have come up empty-handed in their dealings with Bennett.