Seahawks tender contracts to five free agents
The Seattle Seahawks tendered one-year contract offers to five of their restricted free agents on Thursday, a procedure that guarantees the club compensation if any of the players signs with another club.
The Seahawks initiated the right of first refusal on offensive linemen Chris Spencer and Rob Sims, defensive end Darryl Tapp and wide receiver Ben Obomanu.
The Seahawks also made an exclusive rights tender to linebacker David Hawthorne, which means he will not be free to negotiate with any other teams.
They tendered Spencer at the first-round level, Tapp at the second-round, Sims at the fourth round and Obomanu at the seventh, the original round in which each was drafted. The Seahawks would receive that draft pick in return if the players do sign with another team.
The one-year tender offer for Spencer is $1.23 million, Tapp and Sims are just under $1.2 million and Obomanu is at $1.1 million. If the players receive an offer from another team, the Seahawks can either match that or receive the draft-pick compensation.
However, there is another step in the process with Spencer, who will have to be either offered 110 percent of last year's salary (which would up the deal to $2.4 million) or release him by June 1.
While fans have assumed the Seahawks would just let Spencer go after he was moved to guard for the final three games of the season last year to allow Max Unger's transition to center, the former first-round pick obviously does still have enough value that the club wants to keep its options open for now.
It is possible to reduce a player's draft-choice compensation to a lower round than his original position in order to increase the chance of another team signing him to an offer sheet. The Seahawks chose not to go that route with Spencer, which means he'll likely be brought to camp and given a shot to win a roster spot again.
The tender offers are not guaranteed contracts, so there is no risk if a player doesn't make the final 53-man roster. But it appears the Seahawks at least want to see what they've got with Spencer.
On the flip side, the Seahawks could have used an "upgraded tender" on Sims, raising his draft-pick compensation as well as his salary level. Instead they left him with an original-round tender, which in his case could leave the door open to signing elsewhere since the compensation is only a fourth-round pick for a starting left guard.
Remember, however, that Seattle will be able to match any offer made to Sims or the other restricted free agents if it chooses.
Seattle did not tender tackle Brandon Frye or linebacker Lance Laury. Frye is an interesting situation as a young prospect the Seahawks liked last year after picking up on waivers, but he immediately suffered a season-ending neck injury.
Obviously the club didn't want to offer a $1.1 million tender in his tenuous position, but that doesn't mean he or Laury won't be asked to re-sign now for a lesser amount on the open market.
The club already has placed the franchise tag on kicker Olindo Mare, who would have been a free agent as well.
The tendering procedure is available to "restricted free agents" who have less than six years of NFL experience. Unrestricted free agents, or players with six or more years in the league whose contracts have expired, are able to change teams without compensation.
Previously players became unrestricted free agents after their fourth season -- as would have been the case with Sims and Spencer -- but that has changed this year due to the "uncapped" situation with the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Yes, it's all very confusing. But one thing to note is the league's free agency period begins tonight at 9 p.m. and that's when free agents will be able to begin signing with other clubs.
If the restricted free agents sign offers elsewhere, the Seahawks must decide whether to match or not. But unrestricted free agents (those with six or more years in the league) are able to go wherever they please.
Seattle's unrestricted free agents are wide receiver Nate Burleson, fullback Justin Griffith, linebacker D.D. Lewis, cornerback Ken Lucas, tackle Damion McIntosh, safety Lawyer Milloy, defensive end Cory Redding, long snappers Kevin Houser and Jeff Robinson, as well as Laury and Frye now since they weren't tendered offers.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/archives/196549.asp
The Seattle Seahawks tendered one-year contract offers to five of their restricted free agents on Thursday, a procedure that guarantees the club compensation if any of the players signs with another club.
The Seahawks initiated the right of first refusal on offensive linemen Chris Spencer and Rob Sims, defensive end Darryl Tapp and wide receiver Ben Obomanu.
The Seahawks also made an exclusive rights tender to linebacker David Hawthorne, which means he will not be free to negotiate with any other teams.
They tendered Spencer at the first-round level, Tapp at the second-round, Sims at the fourth round and Obomanu at the seventh, the original round in which each was drafted. The Seahawks would receive that draft pick in return if the players do sign with another team.
The one-year tender offer for Spencer is $1.23 million, Tapp and Sims are just under $1.2 million and Obomanu is at $1.1 million. If the players receive an offer from another team, the Seahawks can either match that or receive the draft-pick compensation.
However, there is another step in the process with Spencer, who will have to be either offered 110 percent of last year's salary (which would up the deal to $2.4 million) or release him by June 1.
While fans have assumed the Seahawks would just let Spencer go after he was moved to guard for the final three games of the season last year to allow Max Unger's transition to center, the former first-round pick obviously does still have enough value that the club wants to keep its options open for now.
It is possible to reduce a player's draft-choice compensation to a lower round than his original position in order to increase the chance of another team signing him to an offer sheet. The Seahawks chose not to go that route with Spencer, which means he'll likely be brought to camp and given a shot to win a roster spot again.
The tender offers are not guaranteed contracts, so there is no risk if a player doesn't make the final 53-man roster. But it appears the Seahawks at least want to see what they've got with Spencer.
On the flip side, the Seahawks could have used an "upgraded tender" on Sims, raising his draft-pick compensation as well as his salary level. Instead they left him with an original-round tender, which in his case could leave the door open to signing elsewhere since the compensation is only a fourth-round pick for a starting left guard.
Remember, however, that Seattle will be able to match any offer made to Sims or the other restricted free agents if it chooses.
Seattle did not tender tackle Brandon Frye or linebacker Lance Laury. Frye is an interesting situation as a young prospect the Seahawks liked last year after picking up on waivers, but he immediately suffered a season-ending neck injury.
Obviously the club didn't want to offer a $1.1 million tender in his tenuous position, but that doesn't mean he or Laury won't be asked to re-sign now for a lesser amount on the open market.
The club already has placed the franchise tag on kicker Olindo Mare, who would have been a free agent as well.
The tendering procedure is available to "restricted free agents" who have less than six years of NFL experience. Unrestricted free agents, or players with six or more years in the league whose contracts have expired, are able to change teams without compensation.
Previously players became unrestricted free agents after their fourth season -- as would have been the case with Sims and Spencer -- but that has changed this year due to the "uncapped" situation with the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
Yes, it's all very confusing. But one thing to note is the league's free agency period begins tonight at 9 p.m. and that's when free agents will be able to begin signing with other clubs.
If the restricted free agents sign offers elsewhere, the Seahawks must decide whether to match or not. But unrestricted free agents (those with six or more years in the league) are able to go wherever they please.
Seattle's unrestricted free agents are wide receiver Nate Burleson, fullback Justin Griffith, linebacker D.D. Lewis, cornerback Ken Lucas, tackle Damion McIntosh, safety Lawyer Milloy, defensive end Cory Redding, long snappers Kevin Houser and Jeff Robinson, as well as Laury and Frye now since they weren't tendered offers.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/football/archives/196549.asp
