Category Archives: Contracts

Contracts, Fun & games, It's bigger than football

Bennett, Wilson and Lynch talk contracts and much more

June 30, 2015 cc Leave a comment

It’s vacation time for the NFL, but on Monday the Seahawks hogged the sports spotlight as three of their top players talked about their contract situations and more.

While Michael Bennett babbled more nonsense about holding out, Russell Wilson made it clear he will show up no matter how much he is making. And then Marshawn Lynch finished the day with another hilarious appearance on “Conan,” saying (among other things) the $12 million the Hawks are paying him this year was a good reason to put off retirement.

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Contracts, State of the team

How tagging Wilson would affect the roster

June 25, 2015 cc Leave a comment

If the Seahawks end up using the franchise tag on Russell Wilson in 2016, as it currently appears they might, it most likely would mean the end of the Seattle tenures of Russell Okung and Bruce Irvin.

Irvin knows that and doesn’t really care, even if he said last week that he wants to stay in Seattle. He clearly would be just as happy playing in his hometown of Atlanta. And he knows the Hawks have only so much money to go around.

“They’ve got a lot of people to take care of,” he said. “You’ve got Bobby Wagner, who deserves his money, and Russell, who deserves his money. Like I said, it’s a business and that stuff will work itself out.”

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Contracts, State of the team

What if Wilson leaves?

June 22, 2015 cc Leave a comment

We fully expect Russell Wilson to be the Seahawks’ quarterback for at least the next three seasons, but there is plenty of speculation — including by him — that he might not be in Seattle for much longer.

On Monday, he told a North Carolina radio show that he hopes to stay in Seattle, “but I’ve also gone through ups and downs and been moved around before.”

He later tweeted:

Change is a constant! & Success is never final! #NoTime2Sleep

— Russell Wilson (@DangeRussWilson) June 22, 2015

Those comments add to a growing chorus that already is singing Wilson’s swan song in Seattle — whether it’s 2016, 2017 or 2018.

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Contracts

How guaranteed money & franchise tags are affecting Wilson talks

June 17, 2015 cc Leave a comment

We have known for a while that the holdup in negotiations between the Seahawks and Russell Wilson is guaranteed money, and another report this week reiterated that the sides are far apart in that category.

This contract should not be difficult, so clearly at least one side is being unreasonable.

The issue is probably a blend of the Hawks not offering enough and Mark Rodgers, Wilson’s agent, wanting too much.

Among the likely sticking points:

1 — The Seahawks might still be stuck on rolling annual guarantees and are well below the $40 million in fully promised cash they should be offering Wilson in a four-year extension.

2 — Mark Rodgers, Wilson’s agent, might want $60 million guaranteed by 2016 — beating the 12-month guarantees for Matt Ryan ($59 million), Drew Brees ($55 million), Aaron Rodgers and Cam Newton (each $54 million).

3 — Rodgers reportedly is leaning on the franchise tag — and its guarantees — in negotiations.

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CHAWK LINES, Contracts, OTAs

June 10, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Tom Cable says four guys are competing at center — the position “that certainly has the most uncertainty.”

Among the Seattle Times’ impressions from Tuesday, Tyler Lockett and the players’ overall speed impressed special teams coach Brian Schneider.

Derrick Coleman says this special-teams group is the best the Hawks have had since he has been there.

Richard Sherman had a couple of great retorts for his critics on Tuesday.

Cary Williams explains why he prefers Pete Carroll’s Seahawks to Chip Kelly’s Eagles.

Anthony McCoy reminded everyone he is still around and has the talent to make the team after missing the past two seasons with Achilles injuries.

Marshawn Lynch is putting a little Beast Mode into “Call of Duty.” Lynch said, “I’ve been in the Super Bowl, movies, music videos, Madden. But to have your own character in Duty is, I mean, it’s almost like you arrived.”

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Contracts, State of the team

Irvin now says he wants to stay in Seattle

June 6, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Bruce Irvin has not been present at Seattle’s OTAs, but he says he would like to stay in Seattle after next season and he has been working hard and plans to have his best season yet.

“I have one year left. I would love to be in Seattle,” he told NFL Media on Saturday. “That was the team that gave me a chance when nobody else did. A lot of people told me I wasn’t a first-round pick, but Pete (Carroll) and John Schneider took a chance on me; so, like I said, I would love to be there.”

That comment runs counter to his statement last month that he would be in Atlanta next season. Pete Carroll tried to quash that story, but it seemed pretty obvious that Irvin meant he would like to play in his hometown.

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Contracts, State of the team

Wilson & Wagner are in, Bennett & Irvin are not

June 4, 2015 cc Leave a comment

I’M IN.

It’s one of the Seahawks’ mantras. And clearly not everyone is buying in completely.

Offseason team workouts don’t offer too much football value — they’re like glorified walk-throughs — but they are a great vehicle for seeing who is committed to the team and who isn’t.

Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner certainly are. Michael Bennett and Bruce Irvin are a different story.

All of them have contract concerns. Wilson and Wagner are entering the final year of their deals, but neither is complaining that he doesn’t have a deal yet; Wilson is leading the offense in workouts and Wagner is right in there with his higher-paid defensive teammates.

Meanwhile, Bennett and Irvin are pouting about their contracts, boycotting voluntary work with the rest of the team.

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Contracts, The roster

Is Wilson necessary? And would he hold out?

June 3, 2015 cc Leave a comment

As we wait to see how Russell Wilson’s contract negotiations play out, some are asking whether Wilson is even necessary to the Seahawks and others are wondering whether he might put the Hawks in a bind by holding out.

Some argue the Seahawks could have reached the Super Bowl the past two years with almost any quarterback. Others vehemently disagree.

Neither group is completely right. And the argument is largely irrelevant anyway.

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Contracts

Newton’s deal shows Hawks must pay Wilson at least $30M in 2015

June 2, 2015 cc Leave a comment

Last week, Russell Wilson’s agent said he would meet again soon with Matt Thomas, the Seahawks’ lead contract negotiator, and discuss new ideas and information as they work on a contract extension.

They should now have all of the information they need after Carolina gave Cam Newton a five-year extension reportedly worth $103.8 million, including $31 million guaranteed in 2015 and a record $67.6 million being paid in the next three years ($60 million of it at least partly guaranteed).

If John Schneider thought Ryan Tannehill’s deal cost the Seahawks at the bargaining table, he’ll hate seeing Newton’s numbers. But that’s the way it goes in the big-money world of franchise quarterbacks, and Schneider and Thomas should have been prepared for that.

Agent Mark Rodgers might argue Wilson is worth more than Newton, but the fact is Newton’s financial numbers are where Wilson and the Seahawks are going to have to end up — the middle ground from where both sides would prefer to be.

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Contracts

Rodgers addressed ‘baseball agent’ label and contract concepts

May 29, 2015 cc Leave a comment

In his interview with Brock and Salk on 710 ESPN yesterday, Mark Rodgers left Seahawks fans feeling pretty optimistic about the chances of him and the team striking a deal for Russell Wilson at some point.

Brady Henderson and Bob Condotta both transcribed the interview, offering up key points such as (1) the sides feel no pressure to get a deal done, (2) Wilson would be fine playing out his rookie deal at $1.54 million in 2015, (3) the sides have had positive talks and made progress and (4) Wilson hopes to remain in Seattle for a long time.

Not covered in those recitals of the interview were two related concerns regarding Rodgers and his inexperience in negotiating a major NFL contract.

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