Martellus Bennett wants to be a Giant.
But as the tight end approaches free agency after his one-year deal with the Giants, Bennett drove home a couple points on breakup day yesterday. He also is a businessman and a family man. And it’s a big family.
First, the businessman part. With all the financial opportunities New York affords, Bennett would take less to stay with the Giants but it can’t be “a significant difference.” Plus, he wants a little security.
“I think I played well enough to get a multi-year deal anywhere,” he said after establishing career bests with 55 receptions, 626 yards and five touchdowns.
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“He did do a good job for us,” said general manager Jerry Reese, noting the difficulty of the Giants’ system and how players shop themselves on the free-agent market.
Now the family thing.
“I’m at the point in my life where we’re ready to start having a family. We really want to be stable in one place so we’re looking for a long-term deal,” the 6-foot-6, 265-pound former Cowboy said. “The wife and I both feel we’re going to be Giants no matter what. But if not, you never know. If I’m not a Giant, my No. 1 priority would be playing with my brother [Tampa Bay defensive end Michael Bennett]. He’ll be a free agent this year, too.”
If Martellus can’t go to Michael, maybe Michael can come to Martellus.
“My brother is a tenacious guy,” Bennett said. “Adding somebody like that to the defensive line, to the defensive front would only make everybody else around him better. Him and JPP [Jason Pierre-Paul] coming off the edge would be something dangerous.”
That could make for what Bennett called a perfect world.
“In a perfect world, I want to be a New York Giant,” he said.
The Giants apparently feel the same — for the right price.
“He made outstanding progress. He was looking for an opportunity to play and contribute,” coach Tom Coughlin said. “He learned what we asked him to do. He did make a strong contribution.
“There’s more to be learned and more to be developed.”
The only question is where.