Category Archives: Free agency

Broncos will pay Mathis up to $4 million

Despite Evan Mathis’ visit this week, the Seahawks seemingly had little chance of signing the free-agent Pro Bowl guard. And it turns out they couldn’t, as he signed with the Denver Broncos instead on Tuesday.

The deal is worth up to $4 million, per Adam Caplan. The Hawks couldn’t really go past $3.5 million — and even that would have required them to shuffle a contract or two.

Pete Carroll had basically referenced the difficulty Monday when he said, “He would obviously bring us experience and all that, but there’s a lot of (financial) issues here that we have to take care of to get that in order. We got the information that we needed.”

The Hawks moved on to Samson Satele, who is still on the market despite starting 16 games for Miami last season. It remains to be seen whether they work something out with him or just stick with their youthful crew.

“We’re going to keep competing to figure out who else is there and available as we try to make our choices,” Carroll said Monday, “and really we’re going one step at a time. … We’re continuing to look at who’s available.”

Irvin wants out, Williams wants in, Bennett & Wilson want to get paid

Kevin WilliamsLots of news around the Seahawks today, with Bruce Irvin already thinking of playing elsewhere in 2016, Kevin Williams wanting to return, Robert Turbin apparently recovering from hip surgery, Michael Bennett hinting at a holdout, and Russell Wilson seemingly sending the Seahawks messages via social media.

If Irvin wants to play in Atlanta, the Seahawks should oblige and try to trade him there now. Dan Quinn’s club drafted Vic Beasley, but Quinn surely could use another pass rusher, especially one who can play linebacker. The Falcons are thought to have called about Irvin before the draft, so why not revive those talks and see if Seattle can get a 2016 second-rounder? If not Atlanta, find another team (Jacksonville and Gus Bradley?).

The Hawks are a bit thin at linebacker, but they could replace Irvin with Kevin Pierre-Louis. On the pass rush, rookie Frank Clark figures to take some of Irvin’s snaps anyway.

Continue reading Irvin wants out, Williams wants in, Bennett & Wilson want to get paid

Draft month begins

NFL draftFree-agency month is over. Draft month has begun.

Sure, the Seahawks are still working to address some minor holes in the roster, looking for cheap veteran linemen while bringing back some of their remaining free agents.

And, they obviously will be looking to get Russell Wilson’s contract extension done by the end of the month.

But with just four weeks left until the draft, the Hawks are in the final stretch of evaluations.

With James Carpenter and Max Unger gone, they clearly need offensive linemen. And they are looking everywhere.

Continue reading Draft month begins

Schneider talks Wilson, Mebane & more

John Schneider (via Fresh Files)At the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix on Monday, John Schneider shed some light on a few Seahawk mysteries, courtesy of Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. A quick review:

With Phase 2 of free agency nearly complete, the Hawks will pick up negotiations with Russell Wilson and Bobby Wagner soon.

“Things are calming down a little bit, if you will, on the unrestricted front,” Schneider said, “so we are hoping to get with those guys and their representatives fairly soon.”

That basically shoots down the ESPN radio report from Friday that the Hawks are close to a deal with Wilson and is more in line with the report by Jason La Canfora of CBS that “talks between Wilson and the Seahawks have gone nowhere.”

According to La Canfora, “no real progress” has been made and sources say the quarterback is preparing as if he might have to play out his rookie contract, which will pay him $1.54 million in 2015.

La Canfora has suggested that Wilson might play out his rookie deal and potentially end up getting the franchise tag in 2016. That seems highly doubtful. Much more likely is the Hawks aim for a draft-week deadline, as they did with Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman last year.

Continue reading Schneider talks Wilson, Mebane & more

Will Rubin replace Mebane? And what’s the long-term plan?

RubinEven if Ahtyba Rubin is
displacing Brandon Mebane, the Seahawks need to address the nose tackle position long term — most likely in the draft.

The Hawks reportedly are bringing in Rubin on a one-year, prove-it deal — not unlike the contract Michael Bennett signed in 2013.

Rubin, 28, is a big-time run stopper who tallied 80 tackles twice in seven seasons with the Cleveland Browns and was making more than $6 million a year. The Hawks are paying him about half that, especially considering they apparently think $5.5 million is too much to pay the 30-year-old Mebane. (Update: Rubin reportedly will make up to $3.1 million.)

Whether they keep both players or pair Rubin with Tony McDaniel (making $3 million) and send Mebane the way of former Seahawks draft picks Red Bryant and Max Unger, it is obvious the Hawks need to address the position beyond this year.

Continue reading Will Rubin replace Mebane? And what’s the long-term plan?

If Jackson leaves, is Daniels the backup QB?

B.J. DanielsThe Seahawks want Tarvaris Jackson back as Russell Wilson’s backup and he reportedly would like to come back, but the Hawks apparently are not offering him enough to return.

That explains why Jackson is visiting the Miami Dolphins, who are exploring options to replace free agent Matt Moore.

If Jackson ends up signing with Miami, what would the Seahawks do?

Three options: (1) Save a roster spot by using B.J. Daniels as a utility QB/KR/WR, (2) sign a veteran, (3) draft a quarterback.

Continue reading If Jackson leaves, is Daniels the backup QB?

Are Bennett/Hardy reports driven by Rosenhaus?

Michael Bennett and Drew RosenhausDrew Rosenhaus
appears to be creating quite the drama
surrounding the
Seahawks today,
apparently telling a Dallas reporter that Michael Bennett wants the Seahawks to trade him to Atlanta, where he would want a new contract, and the Seahawks are meanwhile prepared to match any offer the Dallas Cowboys make to social pariah Greg Hardy.

Rosenhaus is the agent for both Bennett and Hardy, and it seems clear he is using Dallas reporter Clarence Hill as a way to improve the market for Hardy, the mercurial defensive end who is still unsigned because of a domestic-assault case and potential NFL suspension.

Per Hill, Bennett wants a new contract and trade to the Falcons, who are now coached by former Seattle DC Dan Quinn. And Hill also reported, via KJR radio, that the Hawks are willing to match any offer the Cowboys make for Hardy.

The Seahawks, meanwhile, have told local reporters they have not heard from Bennett about a trade request (but no word on whether he wants more money). The Hawks also have said their contact with Hardy (i.e., Rosenhaus) has been mere “due diligence.”

So what is the truth/logic behind all of this drama?

Continue reading Are Bennett/Hardy reports driven by Rosenhaus?

CHAWK LINES -- Week in review

For the second time in three years, the Seahawks stole the headlines on the first day of free agency, trading Max Unger and a first-round pick to the Saints for Jimmy Graham and a fourth.

Just days after signing his new contract, Marshawn Lynch purportedly found himself in the middle of a street brawl — and wisely extricated himself.

Lots of former Seattle cornerbacks are getting paid by other teams, Bob Condotta points out. It’s because they come from the Pete Carroll Secondary School.

The Seahawks added their own corner, Cary Williams. Here’s a breakdown from Doug Farrar. And here’s one from Field Gulls.

Continue reading

Carroll discusses his roster & Hawks watch comp picks add up

Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson plan to be clapping about their offense a lot this season (Getty Images)As the New Orleans Saints continued to revamp their roster Friday with yet another trade, the Seahawks — still basking in the glow of the deal that brought tight end Jimmy Graham from the Saints — simply looked within.

The news that impacted them was of players signing elsewhere, but they don’t care. No one will miss Bryan “Wave It Off” Walters, who signed with Jacksonville, and the Hawks didn’t need Shelley Smith, who got $5.65 million over two years from Denver or Stefen Wisniewski, who is a possibility but not a pressing need.

Pete Carroll has said several times this week, including on KJR Radio on Friday, that the Seahawks feel comfortable with some of their young linemen (Alvin Bailey, Patrick Lewis, Garry Gilliam, Keavon Milton, et al.) and think the draft is full of good linemen. Expect the Hawks to use at least two of their 11 picks on big guys.

They can only hope to come up with another J.R. Sweezy, the 2012 seventh-rounder who has played so much that he received $260,000 in performance bonuses from 2014 and got a CBA-mandated bump to a $1.54 million salary this year (as did Russell Wilson).

Continue reading Carroll discusses his roster & Hawks watch comp picks add up

Saints’ interest in Unger creates another shot at TE-focused offense

Jimmy Graham scores against the SeahawksIt turns out the Seahawks were not just getting rid of Max Unger in the Jimmy Graham deal.

Saints coach Sean Payton specifically asked John Schneider about acquiring the former Pro Bowl center, and then the two sides began talking about compensation.

The first-round pick the Hawks included in the deal made it seem as if Seattle had approached New Orleans about Graham, but that’s not the way it happened, according to Schneider and other sources.

“They had strong interest in Max,” the Seattle GM told 710 ESPN. “They really want to fix their center positon (and) concentrate on their defense. For us, it was, ‘OK, who are the players involved?’ (Graham) came into the fray and we started talking about it.”

The Saints apparently were still at odds with Graham over the franchise tag battle last year, when the tagged him as a tight end and he filed a grievance seeking to be tagged as a wide receiver, which would have paid him about $5 million more. He ended up signing a four-year, $40 million contract.

Now the Hawks have him for the final three years of that deal — assuming they don’t change it or he somehow doesn’t work out.

This is the latest — and perhaps best — chance for the Seahawks to create the kind of tight-end-focused offense they have tried in the past.

Continue reading Saints’ interest in Unger creates another shot at TE-focused offense