Category Archives: Free agency

2012 picks get paid; Mebane’s tenure ends

March 10, 2016 cc 1 Comment

The Seahawks had a busy first day of free agency, saying goodbye to three Super Bowl stalwarts, watching their 2012 draft class continue to get paid, retaining another starting defender and celebrating their first Super Bowl quarterback as he retired.

It was no surprise that Bruce Irvin, J.R. Sweezy and Brandon Mebane signed elsewhere (even though we expected Mebane to be back). In fact, the Seahawks already were busy trying to replace Irvin and Mebane as former Hawk Chris Clemons reportedly was coming for a visit and Seattle reportedly showed interest in the Eagles’ Cedric Thornton and the Steelers’ Cam Thomas.

A return by the 34-year-old Clemons would be poetic, since he mentored Irvin through his first two NFL seasons. Clemons played with Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril in 2013, when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl.

The Seahawks didn’t try very hard to keep Irvin or Mebane, knowing Irvin would be too expensive and declining to pay Mebane as much as they gave Ahtyba Rubin ($4 million a year) the other day. Irvin ended up getting $9 million a year from Oakland, while Mebane also headed to the AFC West, getting $4.5 million a year from San Diego. Sweezy received a $6.5 million average from Tampa Bay.

Continue reading 2012 picks get paid; Mebane’s tenure ends →

Contracts, Free agency

Big-spending Raiders, Jags make it tougher on Hawks, Bennett

March 9, 2016 cc 2 Comments

A month ago, the NFLPA called out the Raiders and Jaguars for falling behind the CBA’s minimum-spend requirement; so, with a combined $140 million in cap space, it was obvious those teams were going to come out spending this week.

While that is good news for Bruce Irvin, who reportedly will sign a big deal with the Raiders, it might not be a great development for the relationship between Michael Bennett and the Seahawks.

Bennett obviously will take notice of Malik Jackson’s $90 million deal with Jacksonville and feel even more underpaid than he already does. At $15 million a year, Jackson is blowing away the market for defensive ends. And you have to wonder if that will scuttle any chance of Seattle working something out with Bennett.

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Contracts, Free agency

No surprises: Rubin’s back; Irvin, Sweezy in high demand

March 8, 2016 cc Leave a comment

As the free agency negotiating period began Monday, two days ahead of the new league year, the Seahawks were at the center of a lot of expected news.

As expected, they managed to re-sign Ahtyba Rubin, one of their excellent veteran defensive tackles. As expected, Bruce Irvin and J.R. Sweezy received a lot of interest. And, as expected, former Seahawk Byron Maxwell did not last long in Philadelphia.

Rubin agreed on a three-year deal. The value was unknown Monday, but expect it to be around $4 million a year. Also expect the Seahawks to keep Brandon Mebane on a cheaper deal.

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Contracts, Free agency

Lewis valued enough for lowest tender

March 5, 2016 cc 2 Comments

Patrick Lewis Over the past couple of years, the Seahawks have used second-round tenders on three restricted free agents (RFAs) — valuing Doug Baldwin, Jeron Johnson and Jermaine Kearse at over $2 million each.

This year they have no RFAs worth that, so it’s no surprise the Seahawks didn’t use a second-round tender.

It wouldn’t have been a surprise if they hadn’t used any tenders, but they apparently want Patrick Lewis back enough that they gave him the lowest offer — $1.67 million. That means the Hawks can match an offer he might sign with another team by the April 22 deadline, but it also means they would get no draft compensation for not matching (he was undrafted when he entered the NFL with Green Bay in 2013).

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Contracts, Free agency

As league year nears, UFA picture clears

March 4, 2016 cc 4 Comments

UFA projections As the start of the league year fast approaches, we are starting to get an idea of how it is going to play out for Seattle’s top free agents.

Reports over the past two days indicate that Bruce Irvin and Jermaine Kearse aren’t going to be back. Irvin is expected to get around $10 million a year, with Jacksonville and Atlanta among the expected top suitors.

On Wednesday, Irvin told 710 ESPN, “If the money was close, I would definitely consider” signing with the Seahawks. But it won’t be close — Seattle can’t afford more than perhaps $6 million a year.

Meanwhile, Kearse reportedly is planning to sign elsewhere — a sign that the Seahawks have told him their limit (likely $3 million a year) and he knows he can get more elsewhere (maybe $6 million). Speculation has him replacing Roddy White in Atlanta, where former Seattle DC Dan Quinn is entering his second year as coach.

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CHAWK LINES, Free agency, NFL Combine

March 1, 2016 cc Leave a comment

chawk lines -- Combine

You know that meeting between the Seahawks and Doug Hendrickson? It wasn’t really about Michael Bennett’s contract, per Gregg Bell.

Brandon Mebane, the longest-tenured Seahawk at nine seasons, would love to finish his career in Seattle. Seems like it should get done.

At the Combine, Pete Carroll talked about the process of learning about draft prospects.

Hilarious: Marshawn Lynch was rappin’ while “ghost-ridin'” a camel in Egypt.

Russell Wilson debuted his new clothing line at Nordstrom.
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CHAWK LINES, Free agency, NFL Combine

February 26, 2016 cc Leave a comment

chawk lines -- Combine

Asked about Michael Bennett and Kam Chancellor, Pete Carroll said, “Really, the guys who are under contract can’t be the first-priority guys right now, in any order. We are really digging in, trying to keep our team together. And that will always be the way we go about it. We love Kam and Mike … and we are going to do all we can to make sure they can stay with us.”

Hiring Doug Hendrickson shows Bennett’s Lynch-like strategy.

Carroll said Jimmy Graham might not be ready until the end of training camp. That shadows our thought that the Seahawks will take it slow with him.

John Schneider talked about Marshawn Lynch and other topics.

Lynch is headed to Egypt for American Football Without Barriers — a group co-created by former Seahawk Breno Giacomini.

The offensive line is a major point of emphasis this offseason, although Carroll and Schneider don’t seem to concerned.

Russell Okung says, “It’s very possible that I could stay here. But I know my value, and I’m not going to settle for anything less than that.”

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Contracts, Free agency

Okung, Schneider have talked, but expect LT to hit free agency

February 26, 2016 cc 2 Comments

Russell Okung talks with GM John Schneider during minicamp in June (AP) Russell Okung and John Schneider already have had contract talks, and it is no surprise that the talented but injury-prone left tackle is going to hit free agency March 9.

“We’ve had some conversations. We’ve been going back and forth,” Okung told ESPN.com. “It’s going to come down to when free agency starts. So we may figure something out; we may not. It’s up in the air for now for us to come to terms.”

The Seahawks probably are not willing to pay Okung much more than they did on his rookie deal: $8 million a year. And he surely wants to hit the $10 million mark. The only way to find out whether some team will pay him is to become a free agent.

Actually, he should have a good idea even a couple of days before the league year begins, as prospective free agents officially can talk to teams ahead of the day.

We already addressed the idea of Okung possibly returning on a one-year deal if his market is not what he expects due to his shoulder injury (he won’t be ready for workouts until June).

“It’s very possible that I could stay here,” he said. “But I know my value, and I’m not going to settle for anything less than that. If it works out, great. And if it doesn’t, that’s great as well.”

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Free agency, NFL Combine, State of the team

Schneider concedes Irvin is likely gone

February 24, 2016 cc 1 Comment

Pic -- Schneider at Combine John Schneider all but admitted that Bruce Irvin will not be back with the Seahawks.

At the Combine on Wednesday, Schneider compared Irvin to Byron Maxwell, who received $10 million a year from Philadelphia last year. Irvin, valued as a linebacker and pass rusher, is expected to get a similar deal from some team.

“I’m sure you get tired of me talking about it,” Schneider said, per The Seattle Times, “but it really, truly is a big puzzle that we have to work through. I have met with Bruce individually and he knows how we feel about him as an organization and he knows that we are either going to be able to make it work or give him a big hug and congratulate him.

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