Tomorrow night is the debut for Michael Bennett as a Dallas Cowboy. The Cowboys made the move to bring in the veteran defensive lineman mainly to replace Tyrone Crawford who is out of for the remainder of the season but also to boost their pass rush. Bennett is a dynamic and disruptive player even at 34 years old and he came quite cheap costing only a late round draft pick. There appears to be no downside to this acquisition presently but history has shown that adding talented players does not always translate to improving the team. Will the Dallas Cowboys regret trading for Michael Bennett?
Acquisition cost and history of production aside, bringing in Michael Bennett does pose some risk factors for the Cowboys. First of all, the most obvious issue is the national anthem controversy. No matter what side of that debate you stand on, it is common knowledge that Bennett is a supporter of the protests while the Dallas Cowboys organization has taken the biggest “stand” with their national anthem policy. The potential for conflict and rehashing one of the most controversial topics in recent NFL history has to be a concern. It has been stated that Michael Bennett and the Dallas Cowboys have come to an understanding on that issue but that remains to be seen. Secondly, Michael Bennett has proven to be a strong willed individual who speaks his mind. Often, he does so at the expense of his teammates, coaches, and the organization. To his defense, he has been misquoted, misinterpreted, and even slandered but that is often what happens when you speak without a filter. Sometimes, even seemingly innocent remarks could end up being bulletin board material for the opposing team. With two of his former teams (Eagles, Patriots) on the schedule and a third (Seahawks) possibly a playoff team, there is a concern that at some point Bennett will provide them with extra motivation. Lastly, Michael Bennett might be a Super Bowl champion, but the fact that he complained his way out of New England, the defending Super Bowl champs and a team that was undefeated at the time, because he was unhappy about his playing time appears to be a bit of a selfish move. Now he is in a situation where he is going to have to rotate in and out on a team with a lot of depth on the defensive line. I am not sure Michael Bennett will be much happier with his minutes here in Dallas.
Putting those concerns aside, it is a welcome sight to see the Cowboys continue to bring in talent. Jason Garrett is on a one year contract and clearly the Dallas Cowboys are going for it all this season. For all his faults, Michael Bennett is still an exceptional player and he brings with him something the current Dallas Cowboys lack, Super Bowl championship experience. Taking into account all the positives and negatives associated with this deal, will the Dallas Cowboys regret trading for Michael Bennett? No I don’t think they will, because at this point they have nothing to lose.
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