Report: Michael Bennett traded by Seahawks

Seahawks traded defensive lineman Michael Bennett and a seventh round draft pick to the Eagles in exchange a fifth round pick and another player, NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport tweeted.

There was also talk on Wednesday that cornerback Richard Sherman would leave the Seahawks.

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Related coverage:

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• Seahawks' Michael Bennett continues protest during national anthem

• Michael Bennett calls Las Vegas encounter bias policing; undersheriff says that's not the case

• Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder takes knee in solidarity with NFL players

• Michael Bennett calls police confrontation a 'traumatic experience'

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About Bennett as an advocate 

Bennett is one of the 200 NFL players who didn't participate in the national anthem over the weekend in the wake of President Donald Trump suggesting the NFL bar players from kneeling in protest.

The entire Seahawks team also didn’t participate during the anthem and sat out in the lockerroom before their game against the Tennessee Titans.

Over the last year, Bennett has been a leader of the national anthem protests started by former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Before President Trump’s comments on the NFL, Bennett gave this reason for his protesting:

“I have always held the strong conviction that protesting or standing up for justice is just simply the right thing to do. This fact is unequivocally, without question, why before every game, I sit during the national anthem – because equality doesn’t live in this country, and no matter how much money you make, what job title you have or have much you give, when you are seen as a ‘n*****,' you will be treated that way."

Pete Carroll supports his players and Bennett. At a news conference on Monday, Carroll told reporters he understands why people are upset with the protests, but he hopes that they listen.

"It is not about denigration of the flag or our country," Carroll said. "We all can learn what we want to learn out of this, but I hope we learn about empathy."

About Bennett’s recent encounter with Las Vegas police 

In early September, Bennett's stance on social justice was amplified when he accused Las Vegas police of racially motivated excessive force, saying he was threatened at gunpoint and handcuffed following a report of gunshots at an after-hours club at a casino hotel.

Bennett, who has recently remained seated during the national anthem prior to football games, posted a statement to Twitter detailing the encounter. Within a few hours, a video surfaced of an officer putting Bennett in handcuffs.

The Las Vegas Metro Police Department (NVMPD) gave a news conference Wednesday about the accusations, saying there is no evidence Bennett was detained because of his race. According to the department, officers were investigating an active shooter call — which turned out to be false — and Bennett running quickly prompted a chase.

The chase ended with the controversial encounter where officers put Bennett in handcuffs, and it was caught on video. Read the entire story about the encounter here.

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