Twitter is not the avenue for nuance. Hopefully DBB can be. My thoughts on Martellus Bennett’s trade to New England:

• I completely understand the trade from the front office perspective. Ryan Pace is a young GM in a high-pressure gig and he’s not going to employ anyone he views as not having bought into his program.
• Nobody begrudges Bennett wanting more money as he’s one of the best tight ends in the league. But when his lack of commitment on the field was perceived as linked to financial demands, his hour glass flipped.
• Hard to criticize a player for not trying hard but I’ve done so with Bennett multiple times this season. It was also very clear from watching the games that Jay Cutler didn’t believe Bennett fought hard enough for balls thrown in his direction.
• The phrase “buy in” puts everything on Bennett. But did the Bears try and sell him? Did Pace ever sit Bennett down and explain how he can thrive in this system, with this quarterback? It was in the best interest of both parties to make this work.

• Did Martellus make every play? Of course not. But he sure as hell made a lot of them.
• There is no addition by subtraction here. The Bears now have a gaping hole at the tight end position that will look cavernous if Zach Miller suffers the kind of injuries that have plagued his career.
• Ryan Pace traded Brandon Marshall. We all know why. Marshall had a brilliant 2015 season. Bears had no receivers all year long. Now Pace has given away Matt Forte and Bennett. Might the Bears replace that production? That’s certainly Pace’s plan. But the Bears now enter 2016 with questions marks at running back and tight end. They didn’t have to.
• Darrelle Revis has been a financial malcontent for years. Randy Moss and Corey Dillon were considered borderline unemployable. Aaron Hernandez is a serial killer. So Bill Belichick watched Bennett’s tape and had no problem bringing him into the most successful football program of the modern era? Rarely do all 53 men subscribe to the organization’s philosophy. The Pats have mastered the ability of sliding a few bad seeds into the dirt of their air tight flower pot.
• Are the Bears better in 2016 with $5M in cap space and another fourth round pick? Maybe they will be come May. Right now they are not.