Uchenna Nwosu has committed his future to Seattle
It feels like there are a few layers to this news.
On the one hand, it’s perfectly understandable to extend the contract of a player who won’t even turn 27 until late December. He’s a good age, appears to be emerging as an influential contributor and he produced 9.5 sacks last season.
The other side of it though will be the timing and the raw numbers. $32m in guarantees and $59m total over three years looks steep but we’ll need to see what the reality is. If we’re being honest, Nwosu is a good not great player at a position where they’ve heavily invested through the draft.
Having spent three second round picks on his position recently, this further investment is interesting. Nwosu will presumably tie up one of the outside linebacker/EDGE spots now at this cost. He will need to justify the salary — and the Seahawks will need to find a way to get the most out of their investment particularly in Boye Mafe and Derick Hall if both are set to be rotational cogs.
The timing, too, is notable.
At the start of the year his 2023 cap hit looked like a clear lever to create more cap space through an extension. However, coming off a productive 2022, it also felt like the player had all of the leverage.
An extension now feels slightly odd for both parties. The Seahawks will probably get some cap relief but without any obvious ways to improve their biggest flaw (interior D-line). A deal done in March, however, could’ve provided much needed money to spend.
Nwosu, meanwhile, doesn’t get to feel the benefit of reaching free agency and testing the market. Another productive year could’ve sky-rocketed his value even further.
It’s possible both parties have simply reached a happy medium. Nwosu eliminates the risk of having a down year and reaching free agency with a reduced market. The Seahawks retain a player they like now without any chance of him going somewhere else next March.
This will significantly impact the Seahawks’ cap space for 2024. They only had a projected $23.1m available before this deal was announced. There are ways to make savings (Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs, Geno Smith, Will Dissly) but it’s worth noting that, already, they’re going to be up against the cap next year.
If there is a decent financial saving in 2023, it will open up the possibility of a roster move over the coming weeks. It’s just really difficult to identify a hulking defensive tackle who can solve what is clearly Seattle’s biggest need — a veteran nose tackle presence. That makes me think the Nwosu extension is simply a sign the team really rates him and sees him as part of their core group moving forward, with the timing of the deal being an irrelevance. It happened when it happened — and it’s not likely to be a precursor to anything else.
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Devil will be in the details here. If it’s a true extension (rather than a reworked deal that rips up his remaining year) with an inflated, non-guaranteed year at the end then it could provide great value.
I know Darrell Taylor’s market is depressed coming off last year, but I wonder if we see him get dealt before the season. He’s an ill fit in a 3-4 but you’d have to think there’s 4-3 teams out there that would have an interest. He wouldn’t be worth much in draft capital but maybe we could deal him for a serviceable DT who’s also coming to the end of their rookie contract.
If not, the skepticism is warranted Rob. Nwosu just signed an “every-down” type of deal. It’d be an unfortunate use of draft capital to have three second-rounders fight for snaps on the other side.
I don’t agree the deal, no matter the details, is an “every-down” type of deal. Pass rushers are differente from other positions, you need guys fresh and to mix and match pieces according to the offense. Nwosu doens’t need to play every down, if he plays the same snaps he played last season and still delivers 10 sacks a season, it’s good value.
Nwossu is already a near enough every down player. Last year he played 78% of snaps.
I’m mildly hopeful this contract is a win for both sides.
Have to see numbers. Or more accurately, Curtis needs to see numbers and then give his detailed opinion so I understand it! I did feel a little relief seeing that he signed though. He’s at least a quality veteran that the young guys need around.
No matter what, we are seeing the pre-2022 draft mistakes still hindering the team. All that cap we had that is now gone and our highest-paid players are GREATLY overpaid (Adams and Diggs).
Exactly on Curtis sifting through the numbers for sure.
Hopefully this year is that wake up call to cut bait with a lot of the bloat. Diggs is fascinating as he’s still good if not great but has created a new position as hype man. He feels, too me, like a player on the line of being a Wagner-like situation….a good year to unobservant fans ( 1 million tackles!!! ) but the play that matters goes down and practically/ financially they have to do something about why a 30+ year old safety is making miles more than other top players at the same position.
Agreed. He’s just off enough that it’s showing. And his play/situation just doesn’t fit with the team and the window that is going to open.
I’m really not a fan of him hyping/recruiting/complaining/trying to be a voice that I don’t think anyone asked him to do. It’s a very weird shift for him.
Getting rid of guys like Diggs and Adams is really Pete’s biggest hurtle over his tenure: getting rid of his shiny toys when needed.
Is Taylor’s stock really that low? He is coming off of a 9.5 sack season just like Nwosu. And had 4 FF.
Funny enough, i didnt realize they both were the 48th pick of the draft, just 2 years apart. And Nwosu is only 3 months older than taylor.
I guess I was just thinking that Taylor would be worth a good amount.
People are down on Taylor because his run D wasn’t great last year and no one wants to give him the benefit of the doubt that he could improve after only his 2nd year playing in the NFL.
Personally I think he could improve in both his pass and run defense next year. That would make it more difficult to rotate in Mafe and Hall, but this is the NFL, players get injured, and now we have 17 games to get through before the postseason.
I’m delighted with this. I loved him last season and I can see him getting better. If he had an improved season and hit the open market we would have to pay him a lot more, so I’m cool with this.
Happy to see they’re locking up young talent.
Looks like locking up their future TE, G and LB will come down to 2023 performances. They have 2/3 players in each position hitting FA in 2024; Fant/Parkinson, Lewis/Haynes/Brown, Brooks/Bush (not including Wagner).
I agree that Taylor is probably on the trading block.
What about Akiem Hicks at NT (325 lbs.)??
NT feels pretty plug and play to me, especially 0T – maybe they’ll give Young/Tavai/whoever a few games and if not sign a Hicks or Linval Joseph type
Regarding the DT position, do you think there’s a chance they bring Perrion Winfrey in for a look during camp?
He allegedly pulled a gun on a woman.
Cha,
You mentioned in the previous post a reworked contract if Geno has a good year.
I wonder though what would Geno’s incentive be in that situation? He’s already on a strange escalator based deal. If he has a good year isn’t the ball in his court saying: “look I played on a prove it deal once again, proved it, now give me my money?”
Right.
We’re not talking about a lowered contract necessarily. Just a reworking so it is more cap-friendly to the Seahawks in 2024, and probably rewards Geno if he has a strong 2023.
If he hits all those incentives his cap hit will be $46m in 2024 and the Seahawks would be in the red for cap room in 2024. The chances the Seahawks play on that number next year are slim to none.
The “pay tiers” in this contract avoid that situation by almost guaranteeing that one way or another that they will be forced back to the table next offseason.
At this moment in time, the only cap hits that are locked beyond 2023 are the prorated portion of his signing bonus. Everything else is negotiable.
* He has no guaranteed salary – this will change in Feb 2024 if he’s still on the roster after the Super Bowl, his $12.7m salary locks (Mike Florio has even hinted the Seahawks built offsets into the contract, which would raise this contract from an A+ in my mind to an A++). The Seahawks can cut him loose before then and all they have on the books is his prorated bonus money.
* He has a big roster bonus of $9.6m due March 20 or so – 5 days into the league year. Again, advantage Seahawks. They hold the cards. They can hold onto him through the tampering period and the first 4 days of free agency and look at their QB options without exposing themselves. (for the ‘Geno would be disrespected’ people, this likely would never happen – I’m just saying it’s a negotiating tool for the team).
* The cherry topper of this contract: the incentives of up to $15m are completely non-guaranteed. Geno could rock the league in 2023 and still never see that money if the Seahawks choose to move on. Again, this is a negotiating point more than something that will actually happen.
So the chances are, this is all academic.
Geno has a good year, and the team rips his deal up in 2024 and gives him a new one. Say 3y/$110-125m with $40m guaranteed. He gets another nice bonus check to cash and some more salary protection.
Seahawks get some cap relief for 2024 and Geno gets more security.
Does think our defense have much need to have 3 Edge’s on the field at the same time for a decent amount of plays? rotating one up front for maybe 20-25% of defensive snaps? If so that could justify all the investment in pass rushers.
Camp intake day today.
We should hear some leaks about Witherspoon & Charbonnet contracts being inked.
Also who will start on the PUP list.
Probably Adams, Mone, Brooks. Maybe Witherspoon, JSN and Alton Robinson as well. Followed by Mystery Injured Player.
Looks like they restructured Quandre’s contract turning his salary into bonus. Of course this was reported by the man himself , unofficial Seahawks GM.
Dammit.
I’m guessing that this will free up half his salary this year but move it to next years cap? I’d also assume this move was made to add some depth to the DT position but we will see.
OTC has already given the Seahawks the full restructure benefit of $6.16m
https://overthecap.com/player/quandre-diggs/4048
Seriously.
I have to wonder if a trade is in the works. What would be the reason to move that much extra cap (hit) to next year?
Grover Stewart – DT from Indy maybe?
That or they try to bring back Al Woods or Shelby Harris perhaps? More moves are going to follow, I have to think.
Al Woods is playing for the Jets and is happy to move on, according to himself:
“Just wanted to do something different, been in a 3-4 for a long time so I was tired of catching-and-reading, I was standing on the sideline & watch other teams play & I’m like damn”
Ah right, my bad.
Still feels like precursor to another move that would require the cap to spend.
The Jets may have something to say about bringing Woods back
🙏🏻
Why is this bad? pushes hit into next year and keeps us tied to Diggs as he ages?
Yes
Or makes it harder to get rid of him next year
And it probably means they’re not going to do anything with Jamal Adams.
It just kicks the can down the road a year. As Rob said, they are already going to be up against the cap next year, so this reduces their ability to make moves without further restructuring/cuts.
Im guessing these numbers are a little high as its coming from Rosenhaus. Probably more like 3/45. Either way it seems to be a win. Now is it Shelby Harris time or will they wait for cut down/trade time closer to the season. This cap space isnt really enough but with the news of the Diggs restructure it opens up a good chunk.
Overall positive in retaining Chenna, seeing where PR salaries are going, could be a bargain.
Does not bode well for those who are believing that DT still could be a star.
At first the move just seemed like Rob suggested – a baby splitting – team gets relief, potentially overpays. Combined with Diggs restructure it seems like maybe a move is in the works though.
I can feel something in the air.
Yes, and it probably has nothing to do with Adams.
Even tho it should
I farted.
Anyone find it bizarre that they extended Diggs instead of Adams?
Everyone knows we’re overpaying Adams, bizarre that the FO wouldn’t address it.
Feels like his days are numbered, what am I missing?
They didn’t extend diggs, they just restructured his contract so his cap hit lowers this year but they push more dead money into next year. He didn’t get any new money or more years.
Would signing Harris push Reed to NT? Thoughts?
DE: Dre’Mont Jones, Mario Edwards
NT: Jarran Reed, Cameron Young
DE: Shelby Harris, Mike Morris
Looking back to our 2023 Draft and Rob’s Horizontal Board (excluding players with injuries or character concerns):
CB: Ranked No. 1
WR: Ranked No. 3
DE: Ranked No. 3
RB: Ranked No. 3 & 5
G: Ranked No. 2
C: Ranked No. 6 (maybe should’ve been higher)
DT: Ranked No. 5
+ Bobo, Herbert, Reed, and Morris (exciting position change)
Wow!!!
Hawks are apparently releasing Alton Robinson per Field Gulls.
https://www.fieldgulls.com/2023/7/25/23807691/report-seattle-seahawks-release-alton-robinson-two-others-on-eve-of-camp-isaiah-dunn-james-campbell
And Charbonnet is signed:
I’d happily trade Charbonnet for Robinson. I always did kind of have high hopes for him after his rookie year but this seemed to be coming for a while.
I could be wrong but I think Robinson is a better fit as a traditional DE in 4-3 scheme.
I’m guessing Alton failed a physical exam.
I really wonder if Roderick Perry will be an upgrade. I
Diggs restructuring his contract confirms that Adams will be out barring a 1st team All-Pro type season. The team pushing Diggs on social media (his “sources”, which is kind of lame) confirms he will be on the roster this year and next year. Only reason that Adams hasn’t been cut is because of the amount it cost to get him and cutting him would prove they were wrong. Super dumb way to think of things, but Pete was the driver behind that move.
Now if they could just go one season without “Chargering” (same as Couging as my fellow Wazzu fans understand all too well) they could contend for a super bowl.
It kinda feels like they just put the cap problem off hoping for a miracle without any real plan. Then when the miracle failed to appear their hand was forced.
Don’t think they really wanted to extend Nwosu or restructure Diggs but it was obvious they had to from the moment they signed Wagner. Instead of just biting the bullet then they wasted time for nothing.
Perhaps we could have squeezed in a DT addition had we done the obvious earlier. We’ll never know.
Could be a sign that Darrell Taylor is on the trade block.
Doubt you can have both on roster next year, and his sacks numbers (overinflated in my view due to bad team/garbage time sacks) could push his stock up.
Taylor can’t win.
Gets say 2 sacks a season he’s a dud.
Gets 9.5 sacks a season they are all ‘overinflated’.
Jeez.
Let’s be fair here though, two sacks would be a dud season and it’s very possible that a 9.5 sack season can be inflated. Jamal Adams had one of those in 2020 after all
Fairness? In thre United States of America?
Oh, wait. Never mind.
I recognize these restructures where almost essential to have a chance at bringing in more help at NT, and having a real shot at being a playoff team, and not just a team that got lucky and fell into it last year. Still, to much hedging bets with okay vets that have robbed the 1-2 nd year players of development. That’s fine if you think you have a year or two Super Bowl window, but I don’t see this team being there at all yet. I see a 9 win team plus or minus a couple wins but even in the best scenario I don’t see a contender worth pushing all the chips in for short term. Nwosu I’m semi okay with, Diggs is right there in the Adams territory of peacocking and being overpaid for me personally.
Diggs played a bit better late in the season last year but imo by no means good enough to justify the expenditure on him. Even Pete has admitted that Safety is a much less important position these days yet they continue to spend like drunken sailors on the position. It makes no sense.
Cha — can you work out why these moves (Nwosu/Diggs) have happened this week?
Does it indicate anything? Or are they simply positioning for future flexibility?
I think they’re doing what they frequently do. One foot in ‘win now’ and one foot moving towards the future.
On Diggs’ $6m gain, they needed that much just to keep their heads above water. OTC had them at $7m before Witherspoon and Charbonnet, and if we take their contracts as what #5 and #52 got last year, that would take them down to about $1.4-1.6m (Witherspoon not inked yet but let’s just say they get it done today). Wisdom would dictate it is actually a little less and the 53 man shuffling coming up would probably put them over the cap, so they needed some money sooner rather than later.
Between this and Nwosu (I’m guessing they gain $2-3m this year by extending him) yes, I absolutely think they’re just keeping their options open. The year they restructured Diggs and Brown to keep them happy that opened some room and they didn’t make any kind of splash move.
It’s possible they’re playing a float game. The money they gained from Nwosu will just roll into 2024 and offset some of his cap hit next year. They can get a little spendy on the practice squad if there’s someone they like or get skinny there and bankroll a veteran pickup or two, or if nothing materializes just roll it into 2024.
From a roster standpoint, I think it means they’re rolling with Jamal Adams in 2023 with his full hit (barring another critical injury in camp of course). They’ve had all summer to pluck that low hanging fruit, and on the dawn of TC they focus on Diggs’ contract for savings instead. Look for them to start Adams on PUP but later today PC says he’s thrilled with his rehab progress.
Also think it points to Diggs being on the team in 2024. It’s $11m savings/$10m dead if they cut him next year. But he’s taken such a ‘face of the franchise’ type position, it reminds me of when I thought for sure KJ Wright wouldn’t play on $10m with Jordyn Brooks just drafted and the pass rush in rough shape. They may even have set up an ‘extend Diggs in 2024 to lower his cap hit’ type situation.
Diggs definitely can keep value as a leader: on and off of the field. He’s already done it. I just really, really, really don’t like all of the twitter/online/recruiting/butt hurt stuff that he’s added. IDK if he’s been around Jamal too long or what. I feel like he’s taken a few roles for the team that were 100% unnecessary and probably unwanted.
Otherwise, I think i would be tolerant with an extension next year. He and Bobby are at a point where they leadership is the difference maker. They just need to know that that is where they are in their careers.
More than fine with them rolling that extra cap space for 2024. They have done a good job planning ahead in many aspects, just not with the cap.
Some interesting background of the new DB filling roster spot #90; Andrew Whitaker, sounds like a small school player to keep an eye on in the preseason. The Seahawks seem very loaded at the DB position this season and it should be fun to watch the competition. “Legion of boom” 2.0 may be coming soon?????
https://www.d3glorydays.com/read/andrew-whitaker-from-d3-to-nfl-prospect
The offseason was a little too quiet and nice. Couldn’t go into training camp without a some drama!
Is this not the same franchise that literally yesterday wrote Quandre Diggs a huge check?
C’mon Jody, you can find the money in your couch cushions. Get the man signed.
I believe money is not the problem, not even cash flow. JS just not want to set the precedent for future draft picks.
I say pay the man and get it over with, but I see where the team comes from with this matter.
Doubt he’s making future plans for drafting this high ever again. LOL. Very unique situation, that he won’t be in again.
Yet another example of baffling cap/cash behavior. Are we seriously haggling over whether 15% of guaranteed money gets paid today instead of tomorrow, at the expense of having our highest pick in a decade absent at the start of training camp?
The same team that is eating $9M in dead cap for Carlos Dunlap and Gabe Jackson.
If it’s about not wanting to set some future precedent, you would hope that over the past few years they would have realized that – just because they did/didn’t do something in the past, doesn’t mean that they should do/don’t forever. We signed some bigger name FA, we stayed and took BPA (rather than trade down or draft for need), we traded a franchise QB, we focused on character/grit over combine numbers…
Yet we’re going to draw a line in the sand about what likely amounts to WHEN we pay about $1-2M to our #5 pick?
I’m sure it will work itself out, but this feels like one of those little things that just doesn’t need to happen.
Yeah, but on the other hand is Witherspoon wants to begin his NFL career with a holdout? Over 15% which will he get anyway just maybe later. He’s not #22 pick or #45. #5 will get a decent size of cash anyway. It doesn’t send the message “all about football”, but “all about business”.
So we got a CB at #5 who isn’t even attending the start of training camp 🤦♂️
This isn’t the difference between us making the Super Bowl or not. It’s his money and situation.
It’s never all about football. It’s his job so it is all about business.
Games need to start soon….
And the PUP’s are in
Noah Fant is the only suprise.
https://www.seahawks.com/news/seahawks-place-six-on-pup-list-including-jamal-adams-jordyn-brooks
Riq Woolen? This year’s Lano Hill?
Woolen on PUP appears to confirm the fear that the knee injury is worse than has been generally reported. Now we hope for the best but won’t be shocked by the worst.
I noticed that down in Arizona Zach Ertz is on the PUP list.
I wonder if he is physically-unable-to-=perform because he is in Wellington, New Zealand getting ready for his wife to take the field against the Netherlands tonight.
Cha said,
The “Puyallup Trot”?
Seahawks Training Camp Live is back on YouTube and on right now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxcrMz9Dvi8
LIstening to Dugar’s latest podcast has me mildly worried about this team. Mike’s generally one of the best beat reporters out there, and he is pretty well plugged in.
* repeatedly expressed worries about how players may be used; especially on the D-line. Brought up how for several years now multiple D-line players have been upset with how they’re being used (he name dropped Mayowa, Dunlap, Woods, and Poona). Specifically it’s that the team really wants to stick with the 3-4 scheme when they have players more suited to a 4-3 “get your ass upfield” scheme.
* He also brought up our favorite topic, the offensive identity. Pointed out that the coaching staff passed out “Run the damn ball” hats for an offense where a huge amount of money & draft capital has been expended on the passing game. He implicitly contrasted this implicitly with his earlier interview with Pete, where Pete insisted he wanted to “be balanced,” pointing out that the hats pointed out did not in fact say be balanced.
Pete’s biggest failing as a coach is his inability to adapt his philosophy to his players and Mike is sounding some early alarm bells on that front.
Mayowa, Dunlap, Woods, and Poona are all gone.
Point being…?
They didn’t believe in the system and now they are not here.
Given the defensive line performance over the past few years, especially against the run, do you think the system has served the players well?
I’m not sure. But we have a lot more talent at EDGE now. A couple years ago we were excited to get Jadaveon Clowney.
Clowney might not be able to make this team.
Do you think L.J. Collier is going to have a breakout year under DeMeco Ryans?
Of course not. Collier is a bad player.
Al Woods isn’t (he’s great, actually). Neither is Carlos Dunlap. Nor was Benson Mayowa. All were good players *for the Seahawks* until the imposition of 3-4 principles a few seasons ago. Hell, even after that Woods remained a great player because he’s just that damn good.
“players not believing in the system” is reductive; the NFL is a lot more complex than that. In particular, the 3-4 and 4-3 fronts require different things of the defensive linemen which in turn demands different skills and even different body types. In particular, in the 4-3 front your defensive tackles are going to be a faster players who are looking to penetrate and get upfield. In the 3-4 front you are looking for DTs who are bigger and longer, so that they can cover multiple gaps.
At defensive end, for the 4-3 you are going to have players who will “hold the point” and “turn the corner,” as they attempt to play against cutbacks. Meanwhile in the 3-4 your DE is a 5-tech who is (once again) going to be big and eat up blocks as they play the 2-gap technique.
This isn’t to say these are the specific complaints that these guys had. It’s just to say that the two schemes demand different things of the relevant players, up to and including their body type. It’s not as simple as saying that they “didn’t believe,” it’s that given their body type and athletic profiles they were more well suited to do one thing, but–for reasons that continue to escape basically everyone–the coaching staff began insisting that they do another. Which goes back to what I had said originally about Pete: in terms of maximizing the actual abilities of the players on his roster he is not always the best (in fact, he is frequently not very good).
The defense has been bad for five years. While some small improvement to the overall defense is expected, many find it hard to believe that they have adequately filled in the holes up the middle.
Many of those players mentioned were good actually (particularly Poona, Woods and Dunlap)…but moving to the 3-4 system did indeed mean that they were poorly utilized. The best (or worst) case for that was Poona – great player in a 4-3 system, but not an ideal fit in a 3-4. Frankly out of all those players mentioned, Woods is the one that could actually work in the new system (i believe he was let go for a combination of age + salary expectations + front office convictions that NTs can be secured on the cheap)
This franchise man….pay Spoon his money. If Woolen’s situation is more than just precautionary he needs to be ready to go and needs the damned reps.
The only draft choice not signed out of 259…..ffs.
Oh but the “culture” in Seattle. Bullshit. Winning franchises don’t play these kind of games and this isn’t creating a winning, positive culture.
Real interested to see what the story is here. It’s hard to imagine it’s a cash flow issue (the Hawks are a wealthy franchise), so are they just putting the screws to him on bonus payout timing on principle?
This is from John Boyle’s Seahawks Mailbag today.
I’m seeing some folks speculate this is a cash flow issue for the team. That doesn’t make much sense.
For starters, the Seahawks are among the wealthiest franchises in the league; it’s hard to imagine there’s a cash issue. What’s more, they just extended Uchenna and restructured Diggs, both of which entail sizable bonuses (and thus cash outflows). If this is a cash flow issue, it’s one of their own making.
Sounds like excuse making from the “PCJS can do no wrong” crowd. Jody and the trust has more money than every ownership group in the league except one. ONE!!
https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nfl-richest-owners-net-worth-ranked/
In other words Jeff, I agree with you completely with the link to back us up.
What’s funny is that even if you buy it’s a cash flow issue, that’s hardly exculpatory. Like… the Hawks have known for a long time they have the number five pick; they also know exactly how much money that pick would be owed as a signing bonus. They’ve had six months to prepare for this!
The Allen trust has a huge commercial real estate portfolio as a source of revenue. Commercial real estate is in its worst condition, from a profitability standpoint. So all the talk of unlimited funds is a load of BS. No organization sits on mounds of cash, unless they are corps like Apple, Google and MS. They just don’t. They invest it. So liquidity of those assets hinges on the market.
So, in order to pay its bills, the trust would need to unload assets, and their biggest asset is in major decline. On the flip side, the team should be getting a fat check for TV revenue soon, so we will see if that is when this signing happens.
This will get worked out, but it’s still a black eye for both the team AND Witherspoon.
I don’t see how it’s a black eye for Witherspoon.
It’s his money. Short of him retiring from injury or some other reason what he gets paid for his first contract is locked up the second they went to the podium and made the selection. I’m not even sure why a contract negotiation is taking this long.
Just give him all his money today. As a fan why would you care how and when a player with a slotted contract gets paid?
Fans that are upset are like the fans that have a polly Anna-ish view of their favorite players taking pay cuts. If a team is worth around 7 billion and a player is holding out for all of their 20-30 million so be it.
Oh come on.
This is the same team that literally just wrote Quandre Diggs a $12million check, and was #5 in the entire NFL in most first year cash spent this offseason.
This is not a liquidity issue.
And even at a loss, liquidation of whatever assets were necessary to pay an extremely small amount of money relative to the Trust’s total assets makes this 80%+ on the team imo. It would barely be a ripple on the lake of their “portfolio”. 1 of 259.
A relatively speaking VERY small loss in order to get a guy needing reps into camp, a guy you drafted with the highest pick your regime has ever had no less, seems like a worthwhile “investment” to me.
1 of 259.
And how is playing hardball on how you pay this kid building that precious “culture” you are always crowing about?
Exactly. You made the pick. You knew it would cost ‘x’. Whether it’s a Will Anderson style split 85%/15% or 100% today how would that effect the operating budget?
You can’t tell me that this will suddenly be wiped from Witherspoon’s memory the moment that this eventually gets settled. It’s the wrong way for the Seahawks to start off their relationship and will linger when the player is a free agent considering his options and where he wants to be. There are only so many ways for teams to show that they respect and value their players, and this is one of them. Leaving a bad taste in his mouth about how his tenure with the Hawks started is not the way to build a place that players want to play. I agree with Big Mike – PC’s “winning culture” is a load of crap.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I am greatly enjoying the talk of Witherspoon already being called a diva and selfish. And Jalen Carter is circulating again since he’s at his camp.
Who’d have thought that a guy that needs to hide from the spotlight and prove himself would be doing his best to not ruffle feathers. And imagine that: a team saying that their top pick is having a great camp….
I thought all of these….fans….would have stayed hidden a while longer…
People are bored and it’s the first day of camp. Of course they’re going to overreact. Unless Carter is in the convo for DROY, I’ll still be glad the FO stayed away from his drama.
That’s my point. We’re only one day into camp and there is this much complaining. It’s already been such a long offseason.
He could win with award and it still wasn’t worth the risk. Philly was the best spot for him.
That’s why I love you guys!
I dunno, I’ve got a list of about 2 dozen user names that I’ve been watching since the draft. The users hadn’t said much ever, and were very vocal in every Carter convo, and now have gone completely silent.
Of the gripes I’ve seen, they are along the usual lines of any holdout. This here has to do with what portion of bonus money is paid and when. No one should really speculate because either side might be being unreasonable.
What is interesting about Carter, to me, is that he has his signing bonus, yet has two lawsuits pending against him, would have thought his people would have made those go away fast.
It’s honestly been since only yesterday. Surprisingly, weren’t anyone that I expected to hear it from. It was more along the lines of “Oh, Carter is at camp and tearing it up…wonder where he will finish as a DPOY…” One an article about Witherspoon… I even saw one comment talk about how Carter is busting his ass and that they hope Witherspoon won’t be a diva and not even try. ……….they both have college careers and show the EXACT opposite….
People are nitpicking and whining over a situation that they would do the exact same thing. It will get sorted out. Don’t get on a high horse if you can’t take getting knocked off when reality gets involved.
A very long, long offseason….
Funny thing to write on seattleDRAFTblog, but I favor eliminating the amateur draft altogether.
There isn’t a single player holdout that I ever thought was unreasonable or unfair, these guys are giving up their bodies (and minds) and lifespans over a short career. The league and owners make money hand over fist.
Especially here, as it is just speculation, have the Seahawks ever paid 100% of a first round bonus up front? Does Witherspoon need every penny for a really good reason?
Some fans will hate a player holding out for any reason. Any. At. All.
Those same people don’t like to think about their own situations and how they would react – just see the dollars and say – Come on! Punk Diva! Get to camp!
Why eliminate the draft though?
It’s a great competitive balance where bad teams get a better chance to draft good players.
I could write a novel on this.
To start with it would give power to players to choose the best organization for them! It would empower players to take ownership of their careers and decisions at an earlier age. This wouldn’t just affect the Caleb Williams of the world, it would be a big deal for day 3 picks. Plus it immediately puts and end to ‘suck for luck’ and the like.
For competitive balance, I’d argue it would increase competition, especially on the middle class, by giving those teams shots at difference makers. For cellar dwellers it would emphasize culture change, not just waiting to hit the lottery on enough players.
There are also numerous systems that could be implemented to increase the economic balance (and for the owners depress salaries): example would be giving teams 7 premium contracts that could be awarded, and were tradeable. So each team would have the same tier 1 contract to offer an incoming player.
Nope.
What would happen is a very small pool of elite teams would corner the market and everyone else would be crap.
We’d have the same situation we have in European football where a handful of teams divvy out the prizes and everyone else makes up the numbers.
And it’d be absolutely rubbish.
seattleDRAFTblog
I will disagree on this point, it doesn’t happen in any other industry in America, and there are a lot of draws aside from prestige (regionality, economics, media access, playing time) that matter in a big way. The same way Free Agency doesn’t feed into a couple elite teams, no reason to believe it would be different for incoming players.
Looking at last year, would the first round have played out differently? Probably. Would a player turn down a tier 1 contract for a tier 2? Maybe. Is the league better for having the bottom feeder teams drafting elite QB prospects, probably not.
Rubbish?
See Baseball, 1927-1994
Very happy we extended him. Arguably the best player on defense last year and trending upwards.
If I’m not mistaken, doesn’t some of Russell Wilson’s money come off the books next year?
I’d like another beefy DT or even Shelby Harris back. I suspect the team will monitor remaining free agents as well as potential cuts (and actual cuts) from other teams. They’ll, as usual, be active in the trade market if need be.
Nwousu is a good leader, wants to be here, and deserved an extension at what is one the the premier positions in football. Sadly, this may mean the team will have to move on from Darryl Taylor next season if he prices himself out after another 9+ sack season and retains his health.
Russ’s contract came off the books this season. He counts zero against the Seahawks cap liabilities in 2023 and beyond.
I have read that Nwousu’s contract is actually a 3-yr, $45 million extension after this year, and that the $59 million figure comes from including this year (i.e. $59M over four years, not three).
I heard the interview with the kid from WSU, Easop Winston Jr. earlier and it got me thinking of Easop’s fables.
Like the one about the PAC-12 being viable.
Have they had the funeral yet?
Anyone want to take a crack at the eulogy?