Bucs Pass On Michael Bennett Again; Awkward Reunion Ahead
March 8th, 2019
One of Joe’s favorite pictures taken by the JoeBucsFan.com staff photographer in Hawaii at the Pro Bowl following the 2015 season. Michael Bennett (2nd from left) was so eager to be photographed with his former Bucs teammates.
Versatile, durable Buccaneers-raised Michael Bennett was good enough for Pete Carroll and Doug Pederson, and now Bill Belicheat. But no, he’s not good enough for Bucs general manager Jason Licht.
Jason Pierre-Paul had 20 official quarterback hits last year. Bennett had 30 for the Eagles.
Joe’s not knocking JPP, but it sticks in Joe’s craw — and in the craw of 2012 Bucs fans — that Bennett was allowed to leave One Buc Palace in his prime despite wanting to stay. He was monster in Seattle for five seasons (three Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl ring) and a nine-sack guy for Philly last season for less than $6 million.
This year, Bennett will play for the Belicheats. A trade was consummated today, per Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The Eagles are expected to receive a 2020 fifth-round pick from New England while coughing up Bennett and a seventh-rounder next year. Bennett is set to earn $7.2 million this season.
The rich get richer.
For Bucs historians, some of the real intrigue here is Bennett will now play for new Belicheats defensive coordinator Greg Schiano, the former Tampa Bay commander. Nobody really knows whether it was Schiano or ex-GM Mark Dominik who wanted Bennett out of Tampa following the 2012 season, one in which he was a freakin’ monster pn the field.
Joe’s even heard rank speculation that it was Team Glazer who ordered Bennett out of town. Joe considers that about as legitimate as the foolish rumor that Team Glazer made Licht draft Roberto Aguayo.
Joe suspects Bennett will have another strong season, and Joe wonders if Bennett’s close friend Gerald McCoy will join him soon.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:50 pm
Get over it already, lol.
JPP is younger anyway.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:54 pm
Michael Bennett is a crybaby bitch.
That’s the reason he was let go.
Mystery solved.
March 8th, 2019 at 7:59 pm
Man trying to get Michael Bennett would just turn into an absolute disaster. We should already know our fans and media can’t take anyone with even a mild personality or someone who is slightly outspoken. It’s too predictable how a Bennett-Bucs reunion would end. Can’t believe we keep going down this road.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:04 pm
Toes on the line! Your not the head coach!
March 8th, 2019 at 8:09 pm
Honestly Bennett shouldn’t be in the league after he lied about Vegas.
Dude is a headcase
March 8th, 2019 at 8:13 pm
Mark Barron returns 👍 increase the speed and slot / underneath coverage …….. he is kwon but covers better and is a More sure tackler , by far !!
March 8th, 2019 at 8:13 pm
Forget Bennett he wanted out of Tampa. He got his wish. Never gave us a chance to resign him. How quickly we forget, he is to into himself, good player yes, not a Buccaneer.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:18 pm
Joe you are a sore loser. Bennett is slowing down. Worying about him was cool 5 years ago.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:18 pm
Judging from this trade one would have to assume it was Dom that didn’t want Bennet back? You would have to think with how much the Pats do their homework that they would have asked for input from their new Dc. There is no shot in heck that Bill makes this trade without Schiano saying Bennet is worth it.
I guess we will really never know but that is my take on it.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:22 pm
Joe…5yrs ago, I would be upset…But Licht didn’t pass on 28yr old M.Bennett…He passed on soon to be 34yr old M.Bennett, who also wants a pay raise from his next team.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:23 pm
Licht sucks
March 8th, 2019 at 8:30 pm
Yet Belicheat sees value in him.
Want to take a stab at the difference between Belicheat and anyone else who has run the Bucs since Chucky was jettisoned?
March 8th, 2019 at 8:34 pm
I could care less about the free agent DL. My eyes are set on pick #5. Bosa could drop. Allen could drop. My dream could drop and we land Q. Our consultation prize could be a LB and that’s cool so long as he can hit the passer.
The Bucs will be upgrading their passrush this year. No need to fret.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:35 pm
He’s literally the D-Jax of defense….Obviously talented but teams seem more then willing to move on from him routinely. The team is looking for less distractions and there’s equally talented guys being cut without all the sideshows.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:41 pm
Shouldn’t Bennett be serving a league suspension this season after battering an old lady so he could rush the field after the Super Bowl?
March 8th, 2019 at 8:46 pm
Joe Says:
“Want to take a stab at the difference between Belicheat and anyone else who has run the Bucs since Chucky was jettisoned?”
You should have said “since Dungy” or “since McKay,” because Chucky was a s#itty talent evaluator, also.
March 8th, 2019 at 8:52 pm
Right on JJ!
March 8th, 2019 at 9:03 pm
He was but the common denominator between Belicheat and Chucky is jewelry.
March 8th, 2019 at 9:17 pm
Joe Says:
“… the common denominator between Belicheat and Chucky is jewelry.”
Ah, yes. The bling. Touché.
March 8th, 2019 at 9:19 pm
bennett is a trouble maker and liar ( his vegas dine and dash,made to look like feared for his life, police harassment) he is no way worth 7 million!
March 8th, 2019 at 9:21 pm
I’ll give you one thing about Bennett, he’s done better than McCoy lifetime. He’s been averaging 8 1/2 sacks a season although he has only hit double digit once. ..and he made more solo tackles too. But he played for Seattle who already had talent in the D-line when he got there, then he played last year for 2017 Super Bowl Champ Eagles who were stacked on the DL and decided to let Beau Allen, Vinny Curry (<—remember them?) test free agency. Michael has enjoyed having some really good line mates the last several years. He's a Premium DE but he's not elite, and he's no longer our future.
I want us to draft a DL. That Montez Sweat intrigues me.
Bennett should have replaced McCoy's talent and money.
March 8th, 2019 at 9:37 pm
Get over it ! He’s a cry baby bitch!
March 8th, 2019 at 9:37 pm
LOL
At least Belicheat is smart enough to know he doesn’t want a nice shiny Charlie Garner to hang around his neck.
March 8th, 2019 at 9:44 pm
Licht’s not the one to spit on. Licht hasn’t been a master but he’s not been terrible either. Blame the Rockstar. He screwed the pooch as much as a human could.
March 8th, 2019 at 9:50 pm
Bennett wants a raise from his $7.2 million he is getting too.
March 8th, 2019 at 9:55 pm
Bennett is a pro-cop killer piece of trash who pushes over old ladies and abandons his dog. He’s garbage.
March 8th, 2019 at 10:02 pm
Issaic haggins Says
“Mark Barron returns 👍 increase the speed and slot / underneath coverage …….. he is kwon but covers better… “The
Here’s some irony for you: fans actually wanted Barron gone BECAUSE he couldn’t cover at the time he was in Tampa. He was considered too slow by most fans. He ends up leaving, finishes development, and overcomes his weaknesses.
The moral of the story is this: Tampa fans have no patience for development.
Kwon is just about ready to take that big leap forward, and Tampa fans want him gone. No patience redevelopment.
Same thing all over again. Think about that.
March 8th, 2019 at 10:05 pm
Jean Lafitte Says:
“Bennett [has] done better than McCoy lifetime. He’s been averaging 8 1/2 sacks a season…”
To be fair, they play different positions. It’s harder to come by sacks from the inside.
March 8th, 2019 at 10:14 pm
I agree Bons ..but that’s what losing does
Trivia question for you Buc fans
How many double digit loss seasons do the Bucs have since their inaugural season?
March 8th, 2019 at 10:22 pm
Bennet is a turd. Many fans don’t want turds on their team. The Glazers are smart enough to know that…..most of the time.
Winning does NOT cure everything.
March 8th, 2019 at 10:36 pm
Barack’s Crack Pipe
I know, but when you look at what they have achieved compared to other players in their own respective positions historically . Bennett by far has been more productive for the amount $ received. He would’ve been the better investment had we been able to choose between them. The only factors that really mattered was do you like a guy who kicks grandma or a guy that plays with super hero dolls and loves cosplay?
March 8th, 2019 at 10:45 pm
Not every move bill makes turns to gold. If anything this move reeks some kind of desperation width all the freaking draft picks they have this year. He’s not going to change their defense inot some elite ya know. Buccaneer Bonzai is right let it go. Jason Licht wasn’t here with Bennett, wasn’t here when he left so there’s no nostalgic reunion for those two. Besides fans are already screaming we get young and you keep bringing up these elderly football players we should sign
March 8th, 2019 at 10:48 pm
hey WillieG.
There’s no way to prove that Bennett would’ve be a winner here
March 8th, 2019 at 11:52 pm
Jean,
“Bennett by far has been more productive for the amount $ received. He would’ve been the better investment had we been able to choose between them. The only factors that really mattered was do you like a guy who kicks grandma or a guy that plays with super hero dolls and loves cosplay?”
—–
LOL. I’d vote for Bennett IF we could get 93 to dress up in his grandma suit.
I guess you’ve got a point when you put them both on the slide scale.
March 9th, 2019 at 12:22 am
Barack’s Crack Pipe
LoL ..all of a sudden I got a vision of Tyler Perry’s Madea in my head 🙂
March 9th, 2019 at 1:14 am
Great pic indeed
March 9th, 2019 at 8:35 am
Joe, your admiration for this guy seems to far exceed his output. Is he a good player? Yes. Is he a great player? No. JPP is most definitely a better player and younger. Time to move on.
March 9th, 2019 at 8:42 am
This is not 2012 when the Bucs let a 26-year old Bennett go without compensation. Instead, it’s 2019 and the Bucs are trying to build a defensive line that will be around for five or more years. Bennett at 33 years old, while more than a shadow of younger self, is clearly on the downhill side of a fantastic career. Because he is on the downhill side of his career, the Bucs don’t need and shouldn’t want him given they already have two 30-year olds on the defensive line in Gerald McCoy and Jason Pierre-Paul. While there is little doubt it was huge mistake to let Bennett go back in 2012, it’s time for Joe and all Bucs fans to let it go, wish Bennett well, and move on. It’s a new day after all.
March 9th, 2019 at 9:25 am
Hoping one day buc fans will find 22 Tim Tebow’s to finally have a roster that they love and can be proud of. Sure they’ll suck but at least they’re high character guys.
And to say Bennett isn’t a buccaneer is a compliment, you’re saying he’s not a career loser like your hero Butman.
March 9th, 2019 at 9:42 pm
Look at that grin on Winston face. Probably looking at her like a box of crab legs. Why are you pointing at her, we see her, and you snuggling up to her. Lol.