Don’t Write Off Martellus Bennett
January 22nd, 2013
Joe’s heard the Internet chatter claiming free agent tight end Martellus Bennett, a beast of a blocking and receiving talent, won’t want to come to Tampa Bay now that the Bucs have hired John Garrett as quarterbacks coach. Garrett was Bennett’s tight ends coach for four underwhelming seasons in Dallas, before Bennett’s breakout season with the Giants in 2012.
Well, it seems this is a baloney take, to use one of Greg Schiano’s favorite words.
Speaking on 98.7 FM last night, longtime Cowboys beat writer Charean Williams said Bennett and Garrett were close on and off the field and the presence of Garrett on the Bucs, in fact, would be a potential attraction for Bennett.
And Williams took that a step further saying she personally knows Martellus Bennett, and his family and brother, Bucs soon-to-be free-agent brother Michael Bennett, and the two definitely want to play together in the NFL.
Do the Bucs re-sign aging, locker room leader Dallas Clark? Or do they look to make a splash with a guy like Martellus Bennett?
Joe thinks the Bucs’ biggest interest in Bennett might come for his reputation of being a punishing blocker, a label Giants GM Jerry Reese slapped on him. And that 6-6, 265-pound body, with 54 catches last year and familiarity with the Bucs’ style of offense, qualifies as a weapon upgrade for Josh Freeman.
Bennett also fits the rockstar general manager Mark Dominik preferred free agent mold. He’s a five-year veteran but still only 25 years old.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:21 pm
interesting, indeed….
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:22 pm
Get Michael Re-signed before Free Agency hits, then this guy should probably be the top non-CB priority. It’s been a while since the Bucs had TE that could legitimately Block and Catch (I’m thinking Dave Moore, although Bennett is a better Blocker and Athlete, Moore had the softer hands and saavy).
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:23 pm
Would love to have his skill set on the field for the Bucs. Looks to me that he has grown into a pro, unlike the underachieving attitude he displayed for the Cowboys a few years back when I saw him during their HBO special.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:24 pm
I wonder if Martellus would switch to DE, then we’d have the “Bennett Bookends”
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:25 pm
He would be a great signing for 2 reasons: He is an upgrade over anyone on the roster at TE and that means Mike Bennett would be back!
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:28 pm
To be honest I would let Michael Bennet hit free agency. He will get over paid by us and in this draft there are alot more pass rushers that I’d try out before signing Bennet to a 5 year deal. You can get a Margus Hunt in the 2nd round that I believe will have more of an impact than Michael Bennett. His one good year which wasn’t even double digit sacks isn’t worth the money he’ll want. I love his brother as a TE , but if we didn’t resigned him pretty sure he wont come here.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:30 pm
Can you imagine Penn, Nicks, Joseph and Bennett blocking on run plays….holy sh!t.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:36 pm
@bucfanjeff
Don’t forget Dotson..
Penn, Nicks, Joseph, Dotson, and Bennett
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:41 pm
Bring him to Tampa !
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:43 pm
I don’t like drafting TE’s.Bennett shouldn’t be to costly so why not.Myer’s from the Raider’s would be an option as well.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:44 pm
Im all for it. Make it happen Dom. We wont have to worry about drafting a TE and can focus on DT,CB, and FS. Might even be able to pick up LB’s Keith Pough or Sio Moore.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:47 pm
Really don’t want to see him on the Falcons, where he’ll end up if we don’t sign him.
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:48 pm
Damn those Bennett boys look alike
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:52 pm
It would be a great move, and help solidify two needs on the team.
Joe…..I’ll go this far…if Dom gets the Bennett Boys signed and brings in one good FA CB, along with another solid draft and I’LL ADMIT I WAS WRONG AND CALL HIM A “ROCKSTAR GM”. 🙂
January 22nd, 2013 at 12:57 pm
Dallas Clark is too one dimensional in the that he only seems to catch. Due to his smaller size, he is not much of a blocker. This may have been one of the “tells” for our offense. Dallas is a great character guy, but we need an better rounded athlete on the field. It would be nice to have both Bennet brothers, but the CB position has to be a priority.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:00 pm
Readers, Please excuse me…the Bennett Brothers or Men would be better stated. I mean absolutely no disrespect. I just remember what they called my brother and I when we were younger.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:04 pm
Perhaps another reason to consider why Bennett wanted out of Dallas was his inability to become the first TE option. With the established relationship between Romo and Witten, Bennett was never the ‘go to’ guy. THere’s normally only one of those in a TE position on a team. Seems it could be a benefit to us if Bennett has the chance to do that here in Tampa with a coach he knows and gets to play with his brother. I like the scenario
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:05 pm
Go get em dom. When can we start to offer free agents? We also need a legitimate slot receiver, like a welker or that dude from St. louis.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:14 pm
Hopefully both of the Bennett brothers are wearing pewter come next season. I think Dominik will sign three more potential impact players in free agency, I just hope he has better luck picking a CB.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:18 pm
Having the brothers would be awesome.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Think about the jerseys. They’ll have to spell out Martellus and Michael, because they can’t have 2 M. Bennett jerseys. This equipment nightmare may discourage them from signing Martellus. 🙂
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:30 pm
Ma. Bennett
Mi. Bennett
Just solved our equipment man’s prob.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:39 pm
It would be an outstanding signing. Just don’t forget about the real problems on D.
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:50 pm
Git-r-done!
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:50 pm
All I know is….he BETTER have GROWN UP a lot since HBO Hard Knocks with the Cowboys…b/c he was a COMPLETE DUMBASS
January 22nd, 2013 at 1:57 pm
did none of you notice this?
“Tampa Bay now that the Bucs have hired John Garrett as quarterbacks coach.”
hes the Wide Recievers coach not Quarterbacks
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:09 pm
So after struggling like hell to find a proven defensive end for years, we’re gonna let Bennett walk. Better not happen! Give the two brothers a contract!
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:11 pm
Well if Bennett walked, we can get a temporary option like Dwight Freeney signed. Add that to Clayborn and Bowers coming back next year and we would probably still be okay even without Bennett.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:37 pm
Pass.
January 22nd, 2013 at 2:51 pm
I like Michael B.’s work ethic and motor. Perhaps having him paired with Marty B. would motivate the TE to work his tail off. Then again, there are better DE’s available on the market.
DE Michael Johnson is a physical freak that is just coming into his own.
DE/LB Paul Kruger looks like Jackie Chan with his fancy and effective hand fighting and he too is really coming into his own.
DE Cliff Avril was franchised last season and has nearly 20 sacks the psat two seasons.
DE/OLB Connor Barwin had a huge year in 2011 but a dropoff in production this season. He might be, however, the most explosive DE available.
There are better TEs available as well.
Jared Cook, Dustin Keller, and Travis Beckum are all considered better PURE pass receivers than Bennett, though not quite as good at blocking. Myers from the Raiders had a big year catching the ball but is not really a threat down the field.
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:04 pm
@Brandon
Kruger is a FA!?!?!?!? If bennett does not come back, I would LOVE to see this guy on our team. He’s a beast of a pass rushe and not too bad of a run stopper.
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:22 pm
Yes, unrestricted free agent. Plus, because of the way he is used by Baltimore, we could kill two birds with one free agent stone.
Because he plays OLB for Baltimore nearly half of the time with the Ravens, he could come over to us and play Sam LB on running downs and then line up as a DE on passing downs. I think adding him would be huge.
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:24 pm
What is it gunna cost to sign them.5 mil per for Ma,8 mil per for Mi.I’m not sold on MaBennett what did Kevin Boss do after his big year for the Giant’s.
January 22nd, 2013 at 3:58 pm
@Brandon
I would prefer Ma Bennett at TE to help with the offense. With a big TE that can block and catch makes the offense less predictable. Jared Cook is a big TE but I’m not sure about his blocking ability.
January 22nd, 2013 at 4:21 pm
I’ve been saying it since near the end of the season. Bring the Bennett brothers together. The offense only gets better and the defense will be stocked again in the front seven. Defensive ends are hard to find and we can 3 really really good one on the verge of being great and not to mention the back ups that played this year were pretty darn good too. We need depth.
January 22nd, 2013 at 4:30 pm
@76buc76
Dom might not be good a drafting, but he is a great at working out contracts. If he booms I’m pretty sure his contract will only be guaranteed for the first 2 years. If the Bucs can fill up the holes that we have with free agency, it will make it possible for the Bucs the focus on defense and get the BPA instead .
January 22nd, 2013 at 4:32 pm
bombs* I really should proofread.
January 22nd, 2013 at 4:41 pm
One of Doms biggest mistakes ever if we don’t bring Bennet back.
We spend all those years drafting the position and we finally have a young one in the making, getting better and better and we are going to let him walk???
Lol crazy talk.
January 22nd, 2013 at 6:26 pm
Want
January 23rd, 2013 at 1:02 pm
go get bennet.
January 23rd, 2013 at 4:22 pm
He’s happy with the Giants. The Giants are happy with him. He loves the area he’s living in because of the cultural locations. He is working with the undisputed best TE coach in the game in Mike Pope. He already knows that his former coach does not measure up – and did not support seriously using him beyond a blocking role. In Dallas, he was in roughly 80% of the offensive snaps, yet would get 15 receptions a season and most of those were Romo dump offs at the line of scrimmage to avoid a sack (the exception year was when Kitna was the starter).
And his reception % was actually quite respectable – Dallas fans would have you believe he was lazy and dropped dozens of balls a game while he was there. Blocking is not a skill for lazy TEs to learn.
Martellus has frequently commented about hating Dallas with a passion now. If you really like your former coaches, you don’t rip them. Nor do you leave a place you are happy to go play on a team with that previous coach.
Reese will find salary cap space to re-sign Martellus.