Report: Atlanta Falcons interested in trading for Michael Bennett

With trade rumors continuing to swirl around Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett, one team with plenty of Seahawks ties may very well be a landing spot for the

ESPN’s Vaughn McClure reported on Sunday that while “nothing is imminent,” the Atlanta Falcons are one of the sides in talks with Seattle about acquiring Bennett. McClure also notes that “Bennett is represented by Doug Hendrickson, the agent who represents Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff.”

In the event we do see Bennett shipped down south, he’ll be reuniting with head coach Dan Quinn, who was Seattle’s defensive coordinator from 2013-2014, and was hired the same season that Seattle signed Bennett in free agency.

Atlanta’s defensive line might look considerably different from this past season. Dontari Poe and Adrian Clayborn are both headed for free agency, and Quinn already said he’s ending the “Vic Beasley to linebacker” experiment, so he’ll be back at defensive end, where he notched 15.5 sacks in 2016.

If there’s anything that can gauge the market value of Bennett, it’s likely the recent trade of Robert Quinn from the Los Angeles Rams to the Miami Dolphins. While details aren’t exact, it’s believes that the two teams will be swapping late-round draft picks, and the Rams will also receive a third- or fourth-rounder. Quinn has had some problems staying healthy and his productivity has waned since an outstanding 2013, but he’s still only 27 years old (28 by the time the season starts). With Bennett well into his 30s and playing through plantar fasciitis last season, I doubt Seattle will be able to get a whole lot for Bennett.

By the way, if the whole “Michael Bennett to the Falcons?” line sounds familiar, that’s because this was also floated back in the 2015 offseason. Nothing materialized then, and while the situation is different this time around, we could still end up with a similar outcome.