DallasEast
03-13-2005, 11:16 PM
Monday, March 14, 2005
Seahawks Notebook: Signings show team looking to improve but not overpay
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/215784_hawk14.html
By CLARE FARNSWORTH
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
KIRKLAND -- After a frustratingly slow start to free agency, the Seahawks picked up the pace by signing or agreeing with three players in a four-day period.
The latest is offensive lineman Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack, who agreed to re-sign with the Seahawks on Saturday after making visits to the Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers.
The Seahawks also re-signed tight end Itula Mili and agreed to terms with former Cleveland Browns linebacker Kevin Bentley last week.
Not the kind of "big name" signings the club's fans were anticipating, but moves that are in keeping with the plan Tim Ruskell laid out when he was hired last month as president of football operations.
Priority One was retaining their own free agents, which they did with Womack, Mili and the "Big Three" that were locked up before the free agency period began March 2 -- All Pro left tackle Walter Jones, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and Pro Bowl running back Shaun Alexander, who was given the restrictive franchise tag that has been used on Jones the previous three years.
In between, the Seahawks lost cornerback Ken Lucas (Panthers) and defensive end Chike Okeafor (Cardinals).
The next item on Ruskell's list was to explore any and all options to upgrade the team, a tire-kicking process that has linked the Seahawks -- with varying degrees of interest -- to possible trades for defensive end Darren Howard (Saints), cornerback Patrick Surtain (Dolphins), wide receiver Rod Gardner (Redskins) and linebacker Jamie Sharper (Texans).
The kicker, however, is that Ruskell is not going to overpay, which is why most of the higher-priced free agents found new homes elsewhere while the Seahawks signed no one in the first week.
Case in point: Derrick Burgess, a defensive end from the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles who would have been a good replacement for Okeafor. He agreed to a five-year, $17.5 million deal Saturday with the Oakland Raiders that included a $6 million signing bonus. That was more than the Seahawks were willing to pay for a player with Burgess' history of injuries, which led to conflicting reports about whether he failed his physical during a visit with the Seahawks.
Womack's return was pivotal for the Seahawks, who feared the versatile and still-blossoming lineman would sign with the Packers after they lost their starting guards in free agency.
Womack, 26, has started 22 games the past three seasons at right tackle, left tackle and right guard.
That was part of Womack's problem in free agency. He and his agent view him as a tackle, and wanted the higher pay to match. The Seahawks envision Womack developing into their starting right guard, while also providing insurance at both tackle positions.
HAWK TALK: Cornerback Kelly Herndon, a restricted free agent from the Broncos, will visit the Seahawks today. They also could have visits this week from Ravens wide receiver Travis Taylor and Eagles linebacker Keith Adams, according to their agents. ... The Seahawks lost out on quarterback Jeff Garcia, who coach Mike Holmgren wanted to sign to replace Trent Dilfer (Browns) as Hasselbeck's backup. Garcia agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal with the Lions on Saturday. ... Rams defensive end Bruce Fisher, who is from Renton, on his free-agent visit with the Seahawks last week: "It was an OK visit. I'm from Seattle, so I got a chance to see my family and all that other stuff. But nothing really came of it. No offer."
P-I reporter Clare Farnsworth can be reached at 206-448-8016 or clarefarnsworth@seattlepi.com
Seahawks Notebook: Signings show team looking to improve but not overpay
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/football/215784_hawk14.html
By CLARE FARNSWORTH
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER
KIRKLAND -- After a frustratingly slow start to free agency, the Seahawks picked up the pace by signing or agreeing with three players in a four-day period.
The latest is offensive lineman Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack, who agreed to re-sign with the Seahawks on Saturday after making visits to the Buffalo Bills and Green Bay Packers.
The Seahawks also re-signed tight end Itula Mili and agreed to terms with former Cleveland Browns linebacker Kevin Bentley last week.
Not the kind of "big name" signings the club's fans were anticipating, but moves that are in keeping with the plan Tim Ruskell laid out when he was hired last month as president of football operations.
Priority One was retaining their own free agents, which they did with Womack, Mili and the "Big Three" that were locked up before the free agency period began March 2 -- All Pro left tackle Walter Jones, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and Pro Bowl running back Shaun Alexander, who was given the restrictive franchise tag that has been used on Jones the previous three years.
In between, the Seahawks lost cornerback Ken Lucas (Panthers) and defensive end Chike Okeafor (Cardinals).
The next item on Ruskell's list was to explore any and all options to upgrade the team, a tire-kicking process that has linked the Seahawks -- with varying degrees of interest -- to possible trades for defensive end Darren Howard (Saints), cornerback Patrick Surtain (Dolphins), wide receiver Rod Gardner (Redskins) and linebacker Jamie Sharper (Texans).
The kicker, however, is that Ruskell is not going to overpay, which is why most of the higher-priced free agents found new homes elsewhere while the Seahawks signed no one in the first week.
Case in point: Derrick Burgess, a defensive end from the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles who would have been a good replacement for Okeafor. He agreed to a five-year, $17.5 million deal Saturday with the Oakland Raiders that included a $6 million signing bonus. That was more than the Seahawks were willing to pay for a player with Burgess' history of injuries, which led to conflicting reports about whether he failed his physical during a visit with the Seahawks.
Womack's return was pivotal for the Seahawks, who feared the versatile and still-blossoming lineman would sign with the Packers after they lost their starting guards in free agency.
Womack, 26, has started 22 games the past three seasons at right tackle, left tackle and right guard.
That was part of Womack's problem in free agency. He and his agent view him as a tackle, and wanted the higher pay to match. The Seahawks envision Womack developing into their starting right guard, while also providing insurance at both tackle positions.
HAWK TALK: Cornerback Kelly Herndon, a restricted free agent from the Broncos, will visit the Seahawks today. They also could have visits this week from Ravens wide receiver Travis Taylor and Eagles linebacker Keith Adams, according to their agents. ... The Seahawks lost out on quarterback Jeff Garcia, who coach Mike Holmgren wanted to sign to replace Trent Dilfer (Browns) as Hasselbeck's backup. Garcia agreed to a one-year, $2 million deal with the Lions on Saturday. ... Rams defensive end Bruce Fisher, who is from Renton, on his free-agent visit with the Seahawks last week: "It was an OK visit. I'm from Seattle, so I got a chance to see my family and all that other stuff. But nothing really came of it. No offer."
P-I reporter Clare Farnsworth can be reached at 206-448-8016 or clarefarnsworth@seattlepi.com