Does edgy Michael Bennett give Cowboys best foursome since 1990s Super Bowl teams?
What’s the old saying? One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Or is it, One man’s pain is another man’s pleasure?
Or maybe it’s, One man’s loss is another man’s profit.
All fit when considering last week’s trade of defensive end Michael Bennett from the New England Patriots to the Dallas Cowboys.
As it’s clearly a case of, Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
Bennett was not needed, not used and unappreciated by the undefeated and defending Super Bowl champion Patriots (8-0), who have the league’s No. 1 ranked defense.
He is now welcomed and valued as a key to a second-half playoff push by the Cowboys (4-3) and a defense in need of reinforcements because of the season-ending injury to defensive end Tyrone Crawford and the disappointing play of rookie second-round pick Trysten Hill.
He is expected to make his debut with the Cowboys when they return to action against the New York Giants Monday night after last week’s bye.
“It’s an opportunity,” coach Jason Garrett said. “Obviously, Tyrone Crawford got hurt and he’s not going to be with us the rest of the year. So, he’s someone who’s been versatile for us, played a couple of different spots, been a productive player. We had an opportunity to bring a really good football player to our team and we’re excited to do it.”
By the same token, the Patriots were so excited to part ways with Bennett that they literally gave away the former three-time Pro Bowler for a 2021 seventh-round pick that could turn into a sixth rounder if he plays four games for the Cowboys in 2019.
Bennett’s snaps in New England declined dramatically since Week 1 because of their preference to employ a scheme featuring two down linemen and five versatile linebackers.
It worked for them.
It didn’t for the ultra-competitive Bennett.
His unhappiness resulted in him shouting at defensive line coach Brett Bielema and being suspended for a game.
Bennett, 33, still tallied 2.5 sacks in six appearances, including one start. And the Cowboys believe they are getting the player who had nine sacks last season with the Philadelphia Eagles and one who has 65.5 sacks, 341 tackles, 182 quarterback hits and 13 forced fumbles in 147 career games with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks, Eagles and Patriots.
More important, the Cowboys are familiar with him through his brother Martellus Bennett, a second-round pick of Dallas in 2008, and because they competed against him over the years.
He recorded 3.5 sacks in two games against the Cowboys last season as a member of the Eagles. He’s got 7.5 sacks in seven career meetings against Dallas.
“He’s just been a really good player for a long time,” Garrett said. “We’ve played against him a lot. He’s just one of those defensive linemen who is hard to block. He’s a good run defender, he’s a good pass rusher, he’s around the quarterback a lot, he has a knack for making plays. He competes the right way and plays the right way.”
Bennett fits the Cowboys’ traditional 4-3 scheme better than he did with the Patriots and he is familiar with defensive passing game coordinator Kris Richard, who was his defensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks from 2015-17.
“It helps a lot to have a coach who has been around him, who has seen him on a daily basis in practice and meetings, how he plays in games, how he responds to different situations,” Garrett said.
Bennett will back up Robert Quinn and DeMarcus Lawrence at end and rush from the defensive tackle spot on passing downs.
Richard’s input was important to making the trade happen as was that of Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who gave Bennett a full endorsement, according to Garrett.
Bennett is already being welcomed with open arms by members of the Cowboys,who respect his résumé as well as his edgy and aggressive attitude.
“He plays with edge, tenacity, full confidence in himself,” middle linebacker and defensive captain Jaylon Smith said. “He’s never out there doubting. You need that.”
Quinn leads the Cowboys with six sacks and Lawrence is next with 3.5. They are looking forward to Bennett helping make the defense elite over the second half of the season.
“Just by the knowledge and what he acquired over his years and being able to bring that here, it’s a blessing,” Lawrence said. “We understand that he can help our cause in getting to the Super Bowl.”
With Lawrence and Quinn on the outside and Bennett and defensive tackle Maliek Collins rushing from the inside on passing downs, the Cowboys will have its most formidable foursome since the Super Bowl title teams of the 1990s.
“His résumé speaks for itself,” Quinn said. “So I really don’t got to brag on him too much. You don’t want someone to come in and outshine you. Not in a disrespectful way. More just bringing the best out of a person, which makes it exciting.
Said Lawrence: “Somebody got to get a sack. They got to beat me to it.”
This story was originally published October 31, 2019 at 6:00 AM.
