My opinion is that we are watching the end of the Avril/Bennett era. Bennett will NOT return next year.
Facts:
- Bennett will hold out for a new contract next year. (Yes, fact)
- Cutting Bennett will result in a net $10.5 mil savings against the cap. $3 mil in 2016 ($4 mil dead cap vs. $7 mil salary) and $7.5 mil in 2017 ($2 mil dead cap vs. $9.5 mil salary).
- Bennett's replacement, Frank Clark, has fulfilled expectations
The ideal scenario is that we see one more year of Bennett at his current salary. That will not happen. Bennett nearly held out at an $8 mil salary THIS year. Expecting him to take a $1 mil paycut after a dominant statistical season, as someone who has made it abundantly clear to anyone who will listen that $$ is, by far, the most important thing to him, is wishcasting.
The Seahawks salary cap is currently stretched to its limit in the most Stars and Scrubs configuration imaginable in the NFL and, next year, Russell Wilson's cap hit REALLY starts. It cannot handle one more Star, especially when there is a comparable scrub waiting in the wings (Frank Clark) and ESPECIALLY especially when that Star has a negative aspect associated with his play (penalties).
A holdout staredown until he blinks, will not happen because
1. They just did that with Kam and did not like the result
2. Bennett is crazy enough to follow through with a season-long holdout
So the Seahawks will trade him (if lucky) or suck up the dead space and cut him.
The ONLY scenario that I foresee where the Seahawks keep Bennett next year is if they cut Jimmy Graham (no dead cap hit) and use that money to restructure Bennett. If they value Bennett THAT MUCH over Jimmy or are sure that Jimmy's knee injury is sufficient that he'll never be the same, sure, it could happen.
I think that's the unlikely scenario, though.