Brad Biggs at the Chicago Tribune comments upon the Bears trade of tight end Martellus Bennett and a sixth round draft pick to the Patriots for a fourth round pick:
“Some fans, especially those still unable to comprehend the dynamics in play with wide receiver Brandon Marshall before he was traded, will condemn the move. A team in need of playmakers is losing one and not getting anyone who can replace Bennett on the field.”
I won’t condemn the move, myself. But there’s little doubt that the Bears are not better on the field for it.
Common wisdom seems to suggest that the Bears were going to release Bennett if they couldn’t find a trade partner. I’m not so sure as getting nothing for such a talented player would not have been ideal. You wonder if the Bears wouldn’t have chosen to put up with Bennett, who would have needed to perform in a contract season.
Regardless, it didn’t come to that.
On the surface, similar to the one involving Brandon Marshall a year ago, the Bears wouldn’t have seemed to have gotten Bennett’s value in this trade. But taking into account the fact that Bennett would have been gone after 2016, it’s not as bad as it looks. The Bears are trading away Bennett and the 204th overall pick, the one they acquired from the Patriots for linebacker Jon Bostic.
That’s Bennett and Bostic for a fourth round pick. Couched in those terms, and given that Bennett would have remained discontented no matter what his motivation to perform this season, that’s not too bad.