Bennett: Kaepernick must be signed before players, owners can make progress

As NFL owners and players open a dialogue about working together to reduce racial and social inequality, Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett says one thing needs to happen before discussions can truly move forward: A team needs to sign Colin Kaepernick.

Kaepernick has remained unemployed while a host of quarterbacks with inferior career stats have gotten roster spots instead. The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback opted out of his contract on March 3 when it became apparent that the franchise wouldn't retain him.

"I think the first step to even being able to even have a conversation is making sure that Colin Kaepernick gets an opportunity to play in the NFL," Bennett said Wednesday to ESPN's Brady Henderson. "I think before we even negotiate anything about whether we sit, whether we stand (during the national anthem), it should be a negotiation about opening up the doors for Colin Kaepernick and giving him an opportunity again, because I feel like through everything, that's been lost.

"All of us are having an opportunity to be able to speak to our employers, but to think about the guy who started everything not to be able to have a voice at this moment, it just doesn't seem very right to me."

Commissioner Roger Goodell met with a group of owners and players for nearly four hours Tuesday to discuss anthem protests. An NFL statement said the conversation "focused on how we can work together to promote positive social change and address inequality in our communities."

Kaepernick was the first player to kneel during the national anthem, and a handful of others followed in his footsteps. The quarterback filed a grievance Sunday alleging NFL owners colluded to keep him out of the league.

Related: Kaepernick's lawyer releases statement on grievance filed against NFL

"If you look at the quarterbacks playing in the NFL right now, out of the backups, I can't name one better than him," Bennett said.

Bennett didn't attend the league meeting because the Seahawks practiced the same day. However, he said he'd heard that there wasn't significant discussion about Kaepernick.

"I don't think we can work alongside of them until we address that issue," Bennett said. "I think the issue with Kaepernick is the start to a conversation. If they want us to be open to what they want, the dialogue, then that's something that needs to be on the table right there."