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The Seahawks play their biggest game of the year on Sunday night, and it’s not because the NFC West is on the line.
Seattle’s future as a competitive NFL team is in the balance when they host the St. Louis Rams in prime time on Sunday Night…
As the Seahawks prepare to play the San Diego Chargers this weekend, some Seattle fans would like to see the Seahawks start a couple of guys who were Chargers last season.
But Charlie Whitehurst will not be replacing Matt Hasselbeck and Vincent Jackson…
Four years ago, the Seahawks traded a first-round pick for a good, young player who was disgruntled with his AFC East team and then paid him an exorbitant contract.
That deal didn’t turn out so well, as Deion Branch has proven to be worth neither the pick the Seahawks gave up nor the money they have paid him.
That said, would the Seahawks―now under new management―like to try it again?
Four years later, another good, young player is disgruntled with his AFC East team and could be available.
Darrelle Revis, the Jets’ star cornerback, is holding out for a new contract, just as Branch did with the Patriots in 2006.
Of course, the difference is that Revis is a much better player―perhaps the best at his position in the NFL. And that’s why a deal for the All-Pro shutdown corner would be much less of a gamble than the one the Hawks made to get and sign Branch, whose only claim to fame in 2006 was having been Super Bowl MVP.
The Jets have quickly become notorious under owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum for paying loads of money to free agents but largely ignoring the players who have played well for them.
Leon Washington is a prime example. The running back made noise about a contract extension last year, and then he suffered a broken leg in October. As he was entering the final year of his contract, the Jets decided he was no longer valuable to them and traded him to the Seahawks.
Perhaps the Jets would be interested in offloading another player to Seattle.
Revis is due to be paid $1 million in 2010 as part of the rookie contract he signed in 2007. As the current best cornerback in the NFL, he would be grossly underpaid at that rate.
He wants to be compensated slightly above Oakland corner Nnamdi Asomugha, who was given a three-year deal worth $45.3 million last year.
The Jets reportedly have offered Revis a long-term contract worth around $100 million, but it reportedly includes only $5 million in guaranteed money. Revis understandably feels insulted by that offer.
If the Seahawks were willing to give Revis $45 million guaranteed―the amount Asomugha is slated to make through 2011―they could probably get Revis to back off the outrageous demand of $15 million per year. That’s the kind of money that only quarterbacks typically command.
The five highest-paid cornerbacks in 2009 averaged $9.57 million. Fair value for Revis would be perhaps 120 percent of that―between $11 million and $12 million per year. So, a more “reasonable” and fair contract would be something like eight years and $100 million, with the $45 million guaranteed.
There is no salary cap this year, so paying Revis $45 million up front would be simply a matter of having that kind of cash in hand―something Seahawks owner Paul Allen usually doesn’t have an issue with. (Teams often split up those kind of payments anyway, giving some of it now and some in deferred payments.)
As for the 30 percent rule everyone has been so worked up about, big bonus money is not affected by it. And, the Seahawks could simply include an option bonus after the third or fourth year that basically creates a new contract with higher salaries at that point.
Of course, there is also the cost of acquisition to consider. But a first-round pick would surely do, considering the Jets are not inclined to pay Revis his market value anyway. The Jets would probably be satisfied with a first-round pick from a team like the Seahawks, which has drafted in the top six in each of the last two years and has most people thinking they won’t be much better this season. If the Jets wanted something else, the Seahawks could throw in cornerback Kelly Jennings―maybe haggling for a mid-round pick in return.
Pairing Revis with a renewed Marcus Trufant would create quite a cornerback duo, with Josh Wilson and promising rookie Walter Thurmond in reserve.
Perhaps it’s something Seattle general manager John Schneider should consider.
Schneider apparently already has considered pass rusher Aaron Schobel, who bluffed Buffalo into releasing him by claiming he was going to retire.
Schneider thinks Schobel is headed to Houston, but it looks like he might be interested in signing with the highest bidder. New England is also reportedly interested.
Schobel, who turns 33 on Sept. 1, had 10 sacks last season, and the 6-4, 243-pound speedster might fit perfectly as a Leo rusher in Pete Carroll’s defense.
So, what’s a reasonable contract for a 33-year-old sack artist who has been pretty healthy and put up good numbers (78 sacks in nine seasons)?
Well, the Seahawks gave an injury-prone, 29-year-old pass rusher $39.5 million over six years when they signed Patrick Kerney in 2007. He lasted three years.
Figure Schobel has three or four good years left, if he doesn’t retire. He has been making about $6 million or $7 million per year, so how about a four-year, $26 million deal guaranteeing $14 million? If they then got two good years out of him, it would be a good deal.
If the Hawks could get a shutdown corner for the next decade at the cost of a first-rounder and a pass rusher for the next two or three years, would it be worth $60 million in guaranteed money?
Weigh in on which of Seattle’s second-chance additions will make contributions this season.
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I recently wrote an article that received a lot of mixed responses about whether Chris Johnson is the best running back in the NFL.
Some say Adrian Peterson. Some say Chris Johnson is clearly the best. Some may give the nod to Steven Jackson or Maurice Jones-Drew.
I will be giving all four of these star running backs a deep look to see who really is the best overall running back in the game today.
Steven Jackson:
Steven Jackson was the 24th overall pick in the 2004 draft. He was an excellent player in his three seasons with the Oregon State Beavers.
In his rookie season, Jackson played in 14 games, starting in only three. Nonetheless, he rushed for nearly 700 yards on 134 carries.
In six seasons, Steven Jackson has 6,707 yards and 41 touchdowns on 1,548 attempts.
Jackson is also a great receiving running back. In 2006, Jackson’s best year, he caught 90 balls for 806 yards and three touchdowns.
Many know Jackson for being one of the most physical running backs in the league.
With that said, he is incredibly injury-prone. Jackson has missed 11 games due to injury. Although this may not seem like much, he often plays through injuries.
Currently, Steven is the entire Rams offense. Sam Bradford will make an impact, but he’s only a rookie. Like always, St. Louis will have to rely heavily on Jackson through the running game.
Chris Johnson:
Likely the favorite to win this competion—and for good reason. Chris Johnson became the sixth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.
Johnson was selected with the 24th pick in the first round, like Steven Jackson.
In his rookie year, Chris ran for 1,228 yards on 251 attempts. Johnson reached the endzone nine times through the ground-game.
I won’t say much about Chris’ second year that I haven’t mentioned already. He was simply outstanding in every aspect for the Titans.
Johnson will make around $550,000 this year, which displeases him. Chris is prepared to sit out for quite a while if Tennessee declines to grant him with a big-money contract that he desires.
The Titans, quite frankly, can’t afford to not have Johnson on the field for parts of the 2010 season. Without Chris Johnson, Tennessee will quickly become one of the worst teams in the AFC.
Maurice Jones-Drew:
Like in real life, Maurice Jones-Drew is likely going to be the underdog in this debate.
At 5’7″, Jones-Drew is obviously one of the shortest players in the game today. Nonetheless, he’s a great running back.
Unlike the other running backs in this debate, Maurice Jones-Drew was selected in the second round. With the 60th pick, Jacksonville decided to find a backup to Fred Taylor.
In his first two years, Maurice only started in one game out of 31 played.
Jones-Drew hit the endzone 13 times through the ground game in his rookie season. He instantly put himself as one of the best goal-line running backs in the league at that time.
As a full-time starter in 2009, Maurice ran the ball 312 times for 1,391 yards, and 15 touchdowns.
At only 25 years old, Maurice Jones-Drew should be tearing up the AFC South for a long time.
Adrian Peterson:
With the 7th pick in the 2007 draft, the Minnesota Vikings took Adrian Peterson out of Oklahoma University.
In his three seasons, Adrian has not disappointed Vikings fans one bit.
In Adrian’s rookie year, he rushed for 1,341 yards and 12 touchdowns on only 238 carries. Peterson missed two games due to injury that year.
His great year earned Adrian the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Adrian also won the Pro Bowl MVP award.
In 2009, Peterson was a major contributor in helping the Vikings reaching the NFC championship game against the eventual Super Bowl winner, New Orleans Saints.
Many criticize Adrian for fumbling the ball too often. Although true, Peterson has worked on this issue during the off-season.
He’s one of the most physical running backs in the league. Want proof?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQDxxbNJ2Js
Paul Allen couldn’t have put it any better than what he did.
There you have it, football fans. The top four candidates for the best running back in the league.
Now get out there and vote!
Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com
As 2011 looms ever closer, it is increasingly clear that the NFL is not taking this lockout business very seriously.
Recently, the NFL Players Association sent an offer to the league with a proposal, dealing with a problem that Roger Goodell is just as interested in ridding the owners of—astronomical rookie wages.
Under the current system, a player drafted in the first round expects to make quite a bit more than many players at his position in the NFL. Top draft picks are immediately thrust among the top-paid players. Last year’s top pick, Detroit Lions QB Matthew Stafford, will make almost $27 million in 2010—a staggering number by almost any calculation.
These contracts are given to players who have never played a professional snap of football and could spend just as much time in McDonald’s as in the film room.
The NFLPA had a simple solution :
“We went to the owners, and they raised the issue about the rookie wage scale,” (NFLPA Director DeMaurice) Smith said. “We said, ‘Fine, let’s cut every rookie’s contract to three years, instead of six years.’ That would pull $200 million out of the draft.”
Sounds like a pretty fair plan, correct?
The biggest millstone around the neck of a top-drafting team is not only the money, but rather commitment up-front and guaranteed money over six or seven years to a rookie who might only play three or four years before selling insurance.
Obviously the NFL was never going to accept the first proposal, but instead of countering with a deal that also severely limited signing bonuses, the NFL flatly rejected it.
Why?
Smith continues:
“We proposed giving $100 million to retired players to improve their pensions, and we said, ‘Use the other $100 million and guarantee it to veteran players in the locker room.’ The owners said ‘no,’ that they weren’t willing to guarantee that money to proven veterans in the locker room.”
The union believes this is just another one of the many examples of the NFL refusing to fairly pay its current and former employees—the people who have made and continue to make the NFL a profitable business.
The NFLPA has already broached the “collusion” topic, and has openly questioned why the NFL refuses to open its accounting—a “must” in negotiation based mostly in percentages. The NFLPA’s website even has a “lockout central” page that features a lockout countdown and accuses the NFL of hiding a billion dollars in revenue from the players.
The NFL has a side to this story, too. As of now, it is “no comment.”
A rookie wage scale is just one of the many different facets of the upcoming collective bargaining agreement negotiations, but to this point, the NFL does not seem interested in negotiating. It has even been suggested that the NFL is looking forward to a lockout because of its hefty DirectTV deal that pays owners regardless of whether or not the games are actually played.
A possible lockout is 292 days away.
The NFL needs to get serious about the CBA.
Major League Baseball was once seen as America’s Pastime. Thanks to a strike, an entire generation grew up not caring about the game and are now just making a comeback to the game.
The NHL might never recover.
The NFL owners will not suffer in a lockout. Many of them—Paul Allen, Stephen Ross, Bob McNair, William Clay Ford, Malcolm Glazer, et al.—have large amounts of capital in ventures outside of football. They will not be easily swayed by an impending strike.
For the sport of football—now firmly entrenched as America’s game—for the fans here and growing rapidly abroad, for the players—not just the multimillionaire faces, but also the end of the roster players/camp invitees who depend on the NFL not for lavish mansions but for food on the table—for the retired players too sick or injured to work…
Get serious.
Michael Schottey operates Blue And Silver Pride and is a Detroit Lions featured columnist for Bleacher Report . He also serves as a team correspondent for DraftTek.com and is a guest blogger for Mlive’s Highlight Reel . Check out his Podcasts and add him on Twitter .
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