Mark Rodgers wanted to play hardball with the Seahawks, and Russell Wilson did not.
From Peter King’s podcast: Rodgers, a baseball agent who is used to fully guaranteed contracts, was pushing the cap percentage idea for Wilson’s deal and wanted the quarterback to embrace the “play on the tag” strategy to try to force Seattle to go along with the cap concept.
But the Seahawks were not going for it. And, by the end, neither was Wilson.
Russell Wilson apparently really did want to stay in Seattle — so much so that he gave the Seahawks a pretty good deal.
If reports on the money are correct, the Seahawks basically tore up Wilson’s contract and gave him a new five-year pact worth $157 million.
Wilson apparently gave up fully guaranteed money for a record signing bonus ($65 million), overall guarantees ($107 million) and annual average ($35 million on the new four years).
If the Seahawks were to offer Russell Wilson $105 million guaranteed over three years, it sounds like he might take it.
Just like 2015, Wilson has set a deadline for a new deal — it’s just earlier this time. Unlike 2015, though, he wants to be the highest-paid player in the NFL — no second fiddle to Aaron Rodgers — and have the entire thing fully guaranteed, according to Jake Heaps on 710 ESPN.
But there seems to be a concern that Pete Carroll and John Schneider won’t put their money where their complimentary mouths are.
Continue reading Another deadline: Will Hawks pay Wilson top dollar this time?
Matt Ryan just became the NFL’s first $30 million player, and the handwringing is already beginning about Russell Wilson’s next contract.
Ryan reportedly signed a five-year deal worth $150 million, with $100 million guaranteed. So there’s the new bar for quarterbacks; Aaron Rodgers and Wilson (and maybe another QB or two) will surpass it in the next year.
Wilson is signed through 2019, so the Seahawks will need to extend him next offseason. However, it sounds like Wilson’s camp is expecting to get the franchise tag in 2020, which would mean Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers, does not think the Seahawks will meet his asking price next year.
Continue reading Hawks will pay Wilson $30M APY in 2020, but in what form?
We’ve long suspected that Russell Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers, was going to be a problem for the Seahawks in contract negotiations, and it is becoming increasingly clear that he is indeed the problem.
The most recent tidbits over the last couple of days come from some guys with a little insider info: former Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren and Field Gulls.
On Wednesday, Holmgren said on KJR-AM that the offer he has heard is “very fair” and “the Seahawks are not lowballing” Wilson. Of course, that is coming from a guy who has always been on the management side of such talks. But Holmgren has been involved in enough deals to know what is fair.
Add to his comments what the guys at Field Gulls said in their podcast Thursday: They were told last month by a trusted source that the Seahawks had offered Wilson $54 million in guaranteed money, which would match the record amount the Packers gave Aaron Rodgers in 2013.
Continue reading More indicators that Wilson’s agent is being unreasonable
If Russell Wilson wants to remain a Seattle Seahawk beyond 2017, he might have to fire Mark Rodgers and bring back Bus Cook.
Once Wilson dismissed Cook, a veteran NFL agent, last December, it was easy to see the handwriting on the wall: Rodgers, an inexperienced NFL contract negotiator, would use baseball economics in his negotiations with the Hawks and drag out a process that should have been relatively simple.
Ta da! Here we are.
Continue reading If Wilson wants to stay past 2017, he might need to fire Rodgers
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.
Continue reading How guaranteed money & franchise tags are affecting Wilson talks
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.
Continue reading Is Wilson necessary? And would he hold out?
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.
Continue reading Newton’s deal shows Hawks must pay Wilson at least $30M in 2015
Holdout Michael Bennett said he wants to be paid like the top seven players at his position, which would mean $10 million a year.
Russell Wilson’s agent, Mark Rodgers, talked to 710 ESPN about contract negotiations.
Danny Kelly of Field Gulls wrote about the detailed technique Pete Carroll’s staff teaches cornerbacks. As we wrote a couple of years ago, the Pete Carroll Secondary School has been in session for 30 years.
Cary Williams appears to fit right in with the Legion of Boom. The Hawks think the 30-year-old’s best football will come in Seattle.
Field Gulls rounded up some radio interviews by Jordan Hill, Luke Willson and Jermaine Kearse.
K.J. Wright talked to 710 ESPN about new LBs coach Lofa Tatupu and new DC Kris Richard (recall that both of those guys played for Carroll at USC).
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” fan Bobby Wagner was voted by NFL peers as the 69th best player in the league, per NFL Network. Michael Bennett was No. 90. Six other Seahawks will be listed higher.
Kam Chancellor and Carroll think the Hawks are Super focused in the wake of the crushing end to last season.
Matt Bowen and Chris Simms of Bleacher Report look at Jimmy Graham and Tyler Lockett — Seattle’s two awesome new weapons.
Wilson was a guest speaker at Rodgers’ daughter’s graduation.
CHAWK TALK: Everything being said about the Seahawks 