Tag Archives: Russell Wilson

CHAWK LINES
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CHAWK LINES -- Week in review

Bob Condotta recapped the Week in Russell Wilson Reports.

Michael Bennett, who lives in Hawaii in the offseason, says he might hold out for an upgraded deal: “I don’t mind staying home for a little while.” It’s an empty threat, and he knows it.

Cliff Avril said contract stuff won’t affect how the Seahawks come together on the field.

Danny Kelly of Field Gulls put together a nice piece on the Seahawks’ focus on “sleep as a weapon.” This dovetails with an old Vince Lombardi quote that Jimmy Johnson loved to repeat: “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.”

Frank Clark was at the rookie symposium, where he hopefully learned a few lessons on how to stay out of trouble. He said he is not dwelling on the past and is looking forward to finding his role with the Hawks.

Rob Rang wondered whether the Seahawks might be interested in intriguing, though slightly troubled, left tackle Isaiah Battle in the supplemental draft. Probably would require a third-round pick.

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Contracts, State of the team

How tagging Wilson would affect the roster

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Salary cap logoIf 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?

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Wilson HBO clipWe 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:

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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CHAWK LINES
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CHAWK LINES -- Week in review

Cassius Marsh is working at linebacker, plus other observations from Pete Carroll at minicamp.

A reminder that the NBA champion Warriors (co-led by former Cougar Klay Thompson) did it the Seahawks’ way, as Steve Kerr mimicked Pete Carroll’s approach.

Marshawn Lynch, Oakland’s favorite son, rode with the Warriors during their championship parade in the city.

Lynch said he is happy to see his hometown finally get a pro championship in his lifetime (well, the A’s won the World Series when he was 3). It’s not just the “Oakland Seahawks” anymore, he said.

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Contracts

How guaranteed money & franchise tags are affecting Wilson talks

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Wilson and the RodgersWe 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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State of the team, The roster

‘This is a team that’s built for the future’

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“This is a team that’s built for the future. … We’re in the middle of this. This is not like the end. This is just the middle of this.” — Pete Carroll to 710 ESPN after blowing the Super Bowl in February.

Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson plan to be clapping about their offense a lot this season (Getty Images)The Seahawks’ contract impasse with Russell Wilson has many wondering how much longer he will be the team’s quarterback and, in a related consideration, how long the Hawks’ Super Bowl window will remain open.

But Pete Carroll’s comments from February remain just as germane today, despite the apparent lack of progress on Wilson’s deal: This team is right in the middle of its Super Bowl window.

The team controls Wilson’s contract for at least three more seasons, which happens to match the duration of the deals of some of the team’s best players: Marshawn Lynch, Jimmy Graham, Kam Chancellor, Michael Bennett. Signed through 2018 are Cliff Avril, K.J. Wright, Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman.

Sure, Lynch could walk at any time if he feels the Call of Duty to do something else. And Bennett might not be with the team beyond this year if he continues to sit inside the VMAC whining about his contract while his teammates practice.

But, with the team now talking to Bobby Wagner about a new deal, we should be able to add the linebacker to the list of long-term Seahawks at some point this year.

Add the team’s young receivers (Paul Richardson, Tyler Lockett, Kevin Norwood) and some of the other additions from the last two drafts, and the Hawks have a solid core through at least 2017.

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CHAWK LINES, Contracts, OTAs
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CHAWK LINES -- Seahawks OTAs & minicamp

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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CHAWK LINES
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CHAWK LINES -- Week in review

While not working out with teammates in Seattle, Bruce Irvin apparently still would like to play in Seattle past this year.

John Clayton thinks Russell Wilson will sign a four-year deal worth up to $87 million, with up to $49 million guaranteed, by the time training camp starts in late July.

Contract analyst Joel Corry thinks the Hawks could get away with a $25 million signing bonus for Wilson. Seems light, considering they need to pay him at least $31 million this year. (Just mute the video of that goober Doug Gottlieb.)

Tom Cable and Rocky Seto got very detailed at the Seahawks Town Hall on Wednesday, discussing O-line technique and the Hawk tackle.

Kam Chancellor talked about the effect his knee injury had on him in the Super Bowl and how happy he is he didn’t have to undergo any kind of surgery this offseason.

Jimmy Graham talked to Clayton about his excitement to be playing with Wilson and the Hawks. In a little revisionist history, the high-scoring tight end joked the red zone was named after him due to his red hair.

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Contracts, State of the team

Wilson & Wagner are in, Bennett & Irvin are not

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I'm in

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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OTAs, State of the team

Wilson and Graham have been bonding since trade

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Wilson and GrahamRussell Wilson and Jimmy Graham already seem to have formed an unbreakable bond. And the season doesn’t start for another three months.

Graham apparently caught a bunch of so-called touchdowns in red zone practice on Tuesday, highlighting the area where he might be most effective for the Seahawks (who, as we all know, prefer to throw from the 1-yard line).

Wilson and Graham started building their chemistry immediately after the trade that brought Graham and a fourth-rounder from New Orleans in exchange for Max Unger and Seattle’s first-round pick.

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