Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett has hired Doug Hendrickson as his new agent. Hendrickson is also the agent for Marshawn Lynch. Bennett recently fired Drew Rosenhaus.
Seahawks defensive lineman Michael Bennett, who last week fired agent Drew Rosenhaus, now will be represented by Doug Hendrickson, the longtime agent of Marshawn Lynch.
Bennett, 30, is seeking a new contract from the Seahawks after making his first Pro Bowl in 2015 (he was named the Defensive MVP of the game). He led the Seahawks in sacks with 10 and played almost 82 percent of the defensive snaps.
Bennett will try to secure a new deal with the help of Hendrickson, who works with the sports agency Relativity Sports, and represents players such as former Washington Huskies standouts Desmond Trufant, Marcus Peters and Shaq Thompson.
Hendrickson negotiated two contracts for Lynch with the Seahawks — including a deal last March that assured Lynch would finish his career in Seattle — and helped the running back and the team agree to some adjustments to his deal in 2014. Lynch recently announced he is retiring.
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Bennett signed a four-year, $28.5 million contract in March 2014. That deal came after he played the 2013 season on a one-year, $5 million contract that brought him back to Seattle after playing the 2009-12 seasons with Tampa Bay.
Bennett signed his current deal after a 2013 season in which he played roughly 57 percent of the defensive snaps.
But his role increased in 2014, as he played almost 85 percent of the snaps and started every game. He is the NFL’s 12th-highest paid defensive end in a 4-3 defense, according to OvertheCap.com.
Bennett considered holding out before the 2015 season, saying in May, “There are only so many guys that do what I do, and I would love to be (paid) like somewhere in there where they are at. … Not a lot of guys play inside and out (both tackle and end). Not a lot of guys do what I do. So I feel like I should be (paid) somewhere near there (the top defensive ends in the NFL).’’
Bennett, however, reported to training camp on time. He started every game, again leading the defensive linemen in snaps and played through a big-toe injury that required an injection late in the season.
Bennett said at midseason that once he reported he set aside his contract issues and hoped to prove his worth with his play.
“When I came into the season, I said, ‘I’m just going to leave that behind me and just focus on what I can control, and that’s playing at a high level and winning the games and going back to the championship,’ ’’ he said. “That’s the only thing I’m focused on.’’
Bennett, though, hopes to get rewarded for that effort and will try to do so with Hendrickson guiding negotiations with the team.