Clinton Portis To Visit With Seahawks

According to NFL.com's Jason LaCanfora, former Washington Redskins running back Clinton Portis will visit with the Seattle Seahawks on Wednesday. Portis hasn't been as effective compared to his earlier pro-bowl years, but there was enough interest from head coach Pete Carroll and the Seawhawks' braintrust to take a look at Clinton.

The 29 year old Portis has played in only 13 games during the last two seasons combined, missing 19 of 32 regular-season games over the past two years with Washington. Portis was one of the most dominant backs in the league from 2002 through 2008, rushing for more than 1,200 yards in six of his first seven seasons in the league. He earned the NFL rookie of the year award in 2002, and is a two time pro-bowler. He currently is only 76 yards shy of 10,000 career yards, sporting 75 touchdowns in his career thus far as well. 

Seattle isn't exactly in need of another aging running back, but if there is talent to be had out there still, it's always prudent to do their due diligence.

For more analysis of the Seahawks, head over to Field Gulls to get in on the discussion!

2011 NFL Free Agency: Marcus Trufant Loses Nearly Half Of Salary

The Seattle Seahawks are fast cutting the fat off of contracts that have hindered the franchise the past decade, and cornerback Marcus Trufant is next in line. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Trufant will see his $5.9 million salary for 2010 be restructured to $3 million. He can get a lot of it back ($2.5 million-plus) if he gets a "certain number" of interceptions and earns a Pro Bowl spot (not at all a random selector of talent evaluation), and $250,000 if he sees the playing field for a certain period of time.

In terms of pure finances, this makes perfect sense for Seattle. The Seahawks want to clear the books and make sure the team is able to make good signings at the proper value. In terms of personnel though, this could lead to heavy volatility for next season where Seattle is left scrambling to try and fill the roster with new names. Trufant does have two years left, but neither is guaranteed. You'd figure just like Aaron Curry, Trufant will try and test the free agent waters in 2012 if neither can earn back the money lost based on previous performance.

For more on the Seahawks, go to Field Gulls.

2011 NFL Free Agency: Kentwan Balmer Released By Seahawks Into The Wild

August 18, 2010: Kentwan Balmer had these words to say about the Seattle Seahawks after being traded to the San Francisco 49ers.

"Like I said, what happened in San Francisco was in San Francisco," Balmer said.

"I think this is a first-class organization (in Seattle). I think I mesh well with the people here."

August 24, 2011: Balmer is let go by this "first-class organization." Jason La Canfora of NFL.com provided the report.

The young defensive end from North Carolina didn't perform very well on the field for either team. Even if he's versatile to play in either a 3-4 or 4-3 scheme, he hasn't shown that he can be anything better than a rotation player in either system. He had his best year in 2010, but he only put up 43 tackles and was generally a backup. The Seahawks are now lacking in defensive line depth though, with no one to rotate in to help out Alan Branch.

Balmer was a first round pick by the Niners, drafted 29th overall. He had two seasons of semi-average performance before he was traded to Seattle for a sixth round pick. And now he's at home watching Rugrats or something. Couldn't have worked out any better for Kentwan Balmer.

For more on the Seahawks, go to Field Gulls.

2011 NFL Free Agency: David Vobora Signed By Seattle Seahawks, Vai Taua Released

David Vobora was once Mr. Irrelevant, being drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the 2008 NFL Draft. It appears that he's as close to being Mr. Irrelevant of the 2011 NFL free agency mad scramble, as he finally got signed late in the cycle.

The Rams linebacker was buried on the bench in St. Louis and never really got a chance to play in his few years there, putting up 98 tackles in 34 games played through three seasons. Vobora will look for more extended run with the Seattle Seahawks. Curtis Crabtree of 950 KJR reports that Vobora was signed after working out with the team. He mostly played outside linebacker with the Rams.

Rookie running back Vai Taua had to be let go to make room for Vobora. Taua was going to have trouble cracking the rotation anyway, so it's not a huge surprise that the Seahawks decided to let him go.

For more on the Seahawks, go to Field Gulls.

Aaron Curry Six-Year Deal Restructed To Four Years, Free Agent After 2012

Linebacker Aaron Curry of the Seattle Seahawks has been considered a bit of disappointment relative to the value of his contract. Then again it's hard to meet expectations as a top five pick in the first round of the NFL Draft. Curry's stats (average of 60 to 70 tackles, two to three sacks a year) are pretty good, but they apparently could and should be better. 

So, Curry's contract has been shortened to ensure he increases his production. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports that Curry's deal has been restructed from six years to four, and that he'll be a free agent upon the conclusion of the 2012 season. More importantly, guaranteed money from 2012 has been dropped--over $5 million--meaning that Curry could be cut after the 2011 season if the Seahawks aren't satisfied with his production. Seattle's general manager John Schneider seems committed to try and undo the huge contracts his predecessor Tim Ruskell hands out.

To discuss the Curry situation with Seahawks fans, go to Field Gulls.

NFL Free Agency 2011: Seahawks Sign ASU Receiver Brandon Smith

The Seattle Seahawks have added wide receiver Brandon Smith to their team after cutting injured tackle Caz Piurowski. Smith will get his first shot with an NFL team after a long college career.

Smith spent six seasons at ASU. After redshirting in 2005, Smith played three years before sustaining a severe in jury in 2009. He was granted an extra year of eligibility in 2010 due to the injury.

Though he played seven games in 2010, Smith did not see much playing time at ASU overall. He played 11 games in 2006 but saw very little playing time over the next two seasons, appearing in zero games in 2007 and in only one game during the 2008 season. Over his entire Sun Devil career, Smith had only 196 yards and two touchdowns.

Smith, however, does have the speed to make plays in the NFL and will likely see some playing time over the Seahawks' final three preseason games. Regardless of how much he plays over the next few weeks, however, Smith's addition does help the Seahawks by shoring up their wide receiving corps.

NFL Free Agency 2011: Seahawks Sign S Atari Bigby, Release FB Dorson Boyce

Looking for some veteran help in their secondary, the Seattle Seahawks announced on Tuesday the signing of free-agent safety Atari Bigby, according to sources. 

The 5'11"  213 pound Bigby is a five year NFL veteran, playing his entire NFL career with the Green Bay Packers until joining Pete Carroll and the Hawks in the great Northwest. He played in only four games for the Pack during their 2010 Super Bowl campaign after a knee injury kept him sidelined the rest of the season, but is healthy and ready to go this season. Bigby had a workout up in Seattle on Monday, and impressed the team enough to earn a spot on the Seahawks roster. Bigby has recorded 164 career tackles, three forced fumbles, and ten interceptions in his NFL career thus far, five of which came in his breakout 2007 season. 

In a corresponding roster move, the team released undrafted rookie fullback Dorson Boyce to make room for Bigby. 

For more discussion and analysis of the Seattle Seahawks, mosey on over to Field Gulls and get in ont the action!

NFL Free Agency 2011: Seahawks Sign DT's Ladi Ajiboye & Teryl White, Release S Brett Johnson and LB Michael Johnson

With only hours to go before their first preseason game the Seattle Seahawks made a few more roster moves before kickoff with the signing of defensive tackles Ladi Ajiboye and Teryl White while releasing safety Brett Johnson and linebacker Michael Johnson according to Doug Farrar via twitter. 

Even though they were just signed both Ajiboye and White will be in uniform for Seattle this evening, and likely will see playing time. They also allow the team to breath a little easier considering the depth (or lack thereof) at the DT postion for Seattle, helping to fill some gaps during the season if need be. 

Ajiboye is an undrafted rookie out of the University of South Carolina where he was a freshman All-American in 2007, while White was an undrafted rookie as well out of North Carolina Central University. 

For more discussion and analysis of the Seattle Seahawks, head on over to Field Gulls to get in on the action. 

Matt Hasselbeck Talks Free Agency, Seattle Seahawks Departure, Mentoring Jake Locker

Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck recently spoke with KJR 950 AM's Dave Mahler about his time in Seattle, his move to Tennessee, and his role with his new team as a mentoring veteran to Washington Alum Jake Locker. 

Haselbeck admits that leaving Seattle was a very hard thing to do, and ehn he found out he wouldn't be returning felt "Like getting dumped by your girlfriend." Matt's choices were down to two teams, The 49ers or the Titans, and went with Tennessee basically because "The fact that Jake Locker was here was attractive to me." Hasselbeck knows his role, knows he's an aging QB with a developing one waiting in the wings, an there is no point in denying the inevitable; might as well help the kid out however he can:

 "I'm totally fine with that. I dont want to play forever. I know what I can do to help Jake."    

Hasselbeck mentioned that working with new OC Darrell Bevell in Seattle "Would have been simple to hit the ground running. It would have been one of the positives in coming back," but moving on to a new system in Tennessee is something that he will have to get used to as well. 

For more on the Seahawks, head on over to Field Gulls to get in on the action.

Chargers Sign Former Seahawks UDFA Michael Huey

The San Diego Chargers signed recently Seahawks roster casulty and undrafted free agent guard Michael Huey to a three-year deal today. T Nick Richmond was released to make room for the former Texas Longhorn. Huey was released by the Seahawks on August 3rd. 

Huey, 6'4, 304, started 12 games in his four years at Texas and was named honorable mention All-Big 12 in 2010. He is unlikely to play against the Seahawks on Thursday due to lack of preparation, but it would be something interesting to watch if he indeed was given the chance. 

For more Seahawks action, make sure you go check out Field Gulls or the Free Agency StoryStream.

NFL Free Agency 2011: Ben Leber Picks Rams Over Seahawks

Former Viking and current free agent linebacker Ben Leber has been busy this free agency period, and by busy I mean busy tempting the Seattle Seahawks. Leber has been in a holding pattern with Seattle the last few days. This torture has crippled the Emerald City for days, as fans everywhere held their breath on wondering whether they would be needing to buy Ben Leber jerseys on NFL.com at first notice.

The torture is over, but the rejection has just begun. Leber decided to join the St. Louis Rams over the Seahawks, settling on a one year deal according to John Clayton of ESPN. With Leber, Zach Diles and Brady Proppinga the Rams linebacking corps is now vastly improved. Rams head coach Steve Spagnuolo can finally start looking toward rebuilding a formidable defense that he once possessed when he was defensive coordinator of the New York Giants.

For more on the Seahawks, go to Field Gulls. For more on the Rams, go to Turf Show Times.

NFL Free Agency 2011: LB Ben Leber Visits Seahawks

Per Adam Caplin and Aaron Wilson, Minnesota Vikings veteran free agent linebacker Ben Leber visited the Seahawks on Monday. Caplin notes correctly that the Hawks have been 'hot' on Leber for sometime, and he's been a rumored target for a week or two now. 

Leber is a 32 year old tenth-year veteran. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 2002 in the third round, and was a quick impact player, starting 14 games his rookie season. He signed with Minnesota in 2006 and has played there since, starting a large portion of Vikings games for the last five seasons. At 6'3, 244, he projects to provide depth for the Seahawks with the recent departures of OLB Will Herring and MLB Lofa Tatupu. Leroy Hill is the presumptive starter at the weakside linebacker position, but the Hawks may be looking for insurance on a player, Hill, that hasn't played since late 2009 and has had injury problems prior to that. 

Leber had 46 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and 1 interception last season. 

It's unclear if the Seahawks will sign Leber, but the visit is noteworthy. 

For more Seahawks coverage, go check out Field Gulls. 

NFL Free Agency: Dashon Goldson Drawing Interest From Patriots, Seahawks

Dashon Goldson is one of the few free agents remaining from a two-week flurry of signings and acquisitions in the NFL. The safety could be a nice addition to a team that needs depth in the secondary.

Danny Kelly reported earlier that the Seahawks were interested in acquiring the former 49ers defensive back, and now it seems there might be new suitors in the race. Safety Brandon McGowan is about to be released by the Patriots, and Goldson could fit into the rotation. However, New England is not well-known for taking on huge salaries, and Goldson will likely draw huge money (he already turned down 5 years and $20 million from the Niners at the start of free agency). The Patriots already seem to have Patrick Chung and Brandon Meriweather as the starters, so you'd have to think if there was a bidding war, the Seahawks would likely end up victorious.

For more on the Patriots, go to Pats Pulpit. For more on the Seahawks, check out Field Gulls.

NFL Free Agency: Could Seahawks Have Interest In Dashon Goldson?

With the 49ers recent signing of safety Donte Whitner, it looks like incumbent starter and free agent Dashon Goldson could be the odd man out. It doesn't appear that the 49ers are looking to re-sign Goldson, and he recently tweeted:

John Clayton was on both the Bob and Groz Show and the Kevin Calabro Show (710 ESPN) today and in both appearances suggested that the Seahawks could and should have interest in the free agent safety. Clayton lists him as one of the best remaining free agents, and mentioned that "You're talking about a very, very good safety."

A 6'2, 205 lb free safety, Goldson showed promise and had a very good 2009, notching 90 tackles, 4 interceptions, and 6 passes defensed and the 49ers organization and fans had high hopes for him going into last season. He failed to live up to those expectations though, playing through injuries and registering 80 tackles, 5 passes defensed, but only 1 interception. 

If the Seahawks did wish to sign Goldson, a former University of Washington Husky, he'd round out a very talented and young group of safeties including Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, and rookie Mark LeGree. He'd be the senior member of the group at 27 years old, and could provide experience and veteran leadership to a very untested group. At worst he could be a rotational and versatile player for the Hawks and this late in the game he's unlikely to break the bank. 

It should be noted that it's likely this is just dot-connecting by John Clayton:  Seahawks personnel executive Scot McCloughan was San Francisco's GM when they drafted Goldson in 2007, he played his college ball here, and he's got a connection to current Seahawks Roy Lewis and Isaiah Stanback. 

Seattle Seahawks Free Agency Recap: A Busy Couple Of Weeks

The Seahawks, very unsurprisingly, have been pretty active in NFL Free Agency thus far, and the moves have come fast and furious in the Lockout-shortened period of time. If you've been under a rock for the past week or two, I am here to save the day and get you in the know on what has gone down. 

Now, first off, in case you've been really, really incompetent in your fanhood and didn't know that Matt Hasselbeck left and signed with the Tennessee Titans, now you know. The Seahawks decided to go another way, and signed free agent QB Tarvaris Jackson, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings. He'll be the Seahawks presumptive starter and have competition from Charlie Whitehurst.

The Seahawks have made a few marquee signings, convincing WR Sidney Rice and TE Zach Miller that Seattle is the place to be. Both are Pro-Bowl caliber players and both are still very young (24 and 25, respectively). They'll form part of the core nucleus of talent on the Seahawks for the next five years. The Hawks also brought in solid veteran left guard Robert Gallery. Gallery, in theory, represents the final component in the Hawks offensive line rebuild along with Russell Okung, Max Unger, John Moffitt, and James Carpenter. 

The Hawks didn't stop there. They've signed a trio of defensive linemen: DT/DE Alan Branch from the Cardinals, DT Ryan Sims from the Bucs, and DE Jimmy Wilkerson from the Saints. Branch will start at 3-tech for the Seahawks, and Wilkerson and Sims will be depth, should they make the final roster.

Olindo Mare, Seattle's incumbent kicker, signed a big-ass juicy contract with Carolina worth $16 million, so the Seahawks were forced to look elsewhere. They have signed a former draft pick of theirs, Brandon Coutu, off the street, and a former Steeler and 49er and overall weird dude Jeff Reed to provide competiton. Coutu and Reed will duke it out during camp to win the starting role and a place on the roster. My money is on the veteran Reed, but I'm kind of hoping to see Coutu have some success.

The Seahawks did better with some of their own free agents, signing the highly coveted Brandon Mebane to a new 5-year, $25 million contract. Mebane is arguably the best player on the Seahawks defensive line, so it was a great success to keep him in town. 

Past that, they brought back veteran, reliable depth in DT/DE Junior Siavii, LB Matt McCoy, RB/FB Michael Robinson, CB Kelly Jennings, and DE Raheem Brock. OT/OG Tyler Polumbus, the Seahawks' only restricted free agent, signed his offer sheet and will stay with the Seahawks in 2011. 

Camp bodies have come and gone. The Seahawks originally signed 21 undrafted free agents and we've seen a few of them cut already and a few UDFA rookies come in to take their spots. Practice squad (from last year) RB Chris Henry was recently released, and RB Thomas Clayton was signed to take his spot. 

Finally, the Hawks re-signed troubled but ultimately talented linebacker Leroy Hill. His veteran savvy and experience will be helpful after the Seahawks released LB Lofa Tatupu following failed contract renegotiations. 

The Seahawks didn't manage to keep all their free agents though -- LB Will Herring, S Jordan Babineaux, OT Sean Lockler, and C Chris Spencer have all signed elsewhere. These players were all fairly key cogs in the wheel last season so there will be players looking to step into their shoes. 

Keep up to date on more Seahawks free agency news and rumors at Field Gulls!

Seahawks Claim RB Thomas Clayton Off Waivers

The Seattle Seahawks added another player to their back field entourage on Friday by signing running back Thomas Clayton after being waived by the New England Patriots according to his agent JR Rickert. Clayton joins the likes of Marshawn Lynch and Justin Forsett, hopeful to see some time as a backup. 

Clayton, the 27-year old Kansas State product, was drafted in the sixth round in 2007 by the 49ers, where he suffered a season ending ACL injury in 2009. He played in 3 games for the Browns & Patriots in 2010, carrying the ball 7 times for a total of 17 yards (2.4 ypc).  Aside from preseason carries, those are his career numbers in the NFL so far, but  head coach Pete Carroll and the Seahawks will give Clayton the opportunity to make the squad as a replacement back and special teams player in training camp.    

For more discussion and analysis of the Seahawks, head over to Field Gulls and get in on the action. 

NFL Free Agency: Raheem Brock Signs With Seahawks

After working out for multiple teams as he weighed his free agency options, defensive end Raheem Brock has signed a one-year deal to remain with the Seattle Seahawks. A critical part of Seattle's defensive line, this is a big signing to bring the veteran defensive end back to the great northwest.

(Hey, I like these tweets a lot more than the boring ones we usually get from the reporters.)

Brock, 33, set a career-high in sacks last season (9) in his first season with Seattle after coming over from the Colts. He recorded 32 tackles and played in all 16 games for the third consecutive season. The contract he signed seems very fair and leaves the team open to possibly make a few more moves before the season begins.

A big signing for Seattle to add onto an even bigger week for the franchise. 

NFL Free Agency: Jordan Babineaux Status Still Up In The Air, Contradicting Reports Surface

It has been a wild day surrounding Seattle Seahawks safety Jordan Babineaux. Rumored to be deciding between the Seahawks and Tennessee Titans, John Clayton's latest tweet indicates he will remain with Seattle. Or at least that's what the reports are indicating now, anyway:

According to a source, S Jordan Babineaux is staying in Seattle and not going to the Titans.

While it appears the deal is moving closer to becoming final, Babineaux has changed his mind multiple times and nothing is official yet. Until the "i's" are dotted and the "t's" are crossed and we have confirmation from an official team source, it is probably best to remain somewhat skeptical.

Babineaux has spent his entire career with Seattle, but head coach Pete Carroll may be interested in other options instead of the eight-year veteran. With the Titans recent interest, though, things have heated up and the rumors have been flying left and right.

Update:

Doesn't sound like Babineaux is an any closer to a decision than he was earlier today. Seemingly no one knows what's really going on right now and contradicting reports keep surfacing.

NFL Free Agency: Jordan Babineaux Choosing Between Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans

The NFL lockout is over, but the frenzy for talented free agents rages on as the Seattle Seahawks' safety Jordan Babineaux has apparently deduced his possible landing spots down to two teams; the Tennessee Titans or the Seahawks according to agent JR Rickert via twitter. 

The eight year veteran has spent all of his NFL tenure with Seattle, but his status with the team has been up in the air almost all offseason. Head coach Pete Carroll preferred to use Earl Thomas and Lawyer Milloy for the majority of the 2010-11 season, and his contract is a bit too hefty for the Seahawks to keep as a third safety. But with the Titans coming into this season as a proverbial question mark, would it behoove both the 'hawks and Babineaux to restructure his contract and keep him on as a veteran backup on a contending team? That is yet to be seen, but hopefully will pan out sooner than later. 

Babineaux has 411 career tackles for Seattle, along with eight forced fumbles and 10 interceptions. 

For more on the Seahawks, head on over to Field Gulls to get your fix. 

NFL Free Agency: Ben Leber Sought By Seattle Seahawks, Others

The Seattle Seahawks are working to sign linebacker Ben Leber, according to Kevin Calabro. The Seahawks, however, are not the only team pursuing the 32-year-old veteran. According to ESPN's John Clayton, the Seahawks are one of four teams who have interest in Leber.

Seattle is looking to fill a need at linebacker after offseason moves involving some of their linebackers. Lofa Tatupa was released by the team and Will Herring has left to play for the New Orleans Saints.

Leber has spent nine seasons in the NFL, four with the San Diego Chargers (2002-2005) and five with the Minnesota Vikings (2006-2010). Leber has recorded 46 tackles in each of the past two seasons, starting 23 of 32 games during that time span.

It appears that the Seahawks' pursuit of Leber has intensified as the day has gone in. But is this for the best?

Though Leber did have a significant impact with the Vikings last season, there are questions about how much longer he can keep performing at a high level before he trails off. Leber's stats from the last two seasons are a decrease from the two seasons prior, when he recorded 67 sacks in 2007 and 64 sacks in 2008. Leber may be on the downside of his career, and the Seahawks might be taking a gamble here.

The Seahawks don't really have a choice though. The team needs help at linebacker right away, and regardless of where Leber is in his career, he is one of the best available.

NFL Free Agents: Ben Leber Draws Interest From Seattle Seahawks

As the saga of NFL free agency continues on, the Seattle Seahawks are one of possibly four teams interested in the services of linebacker Ben Leber according to ESPN's John Clayton. 

The 'hawks are in need of some help at the linebacker position with the loss of backup Will Herring recently to the New Orleans Saints, and feel that Leber is not only one of the better free agents left on the market but would contribute nicely to their defensive system already in place.

Leber was a third round draft choice in 2002 and made his way into the league with the San Diego Chargers from 2002-2005. From there he played up in Minnesota with the Vikings the last five seasons until he became a free agent this offseason. In his ten year NFL career Leber has racked up 483 tackles, 15 forced fumbles, and 5 interceptions along the way. 

For more discussion and analysis of the Seahawks, head on over to Field Gulls to get your fix. 

Jeff Reed, Seattle Seahawks Agree To Terms, According To Report

Needing a kicker after Olindo Mare agreed to a deal with the Carolina Panthers, the Seattle Seahawks reportedly signed Jeff Reed on Wednesday. The Seahawks' kicker position has been in limbo early in training camp, with Brandon Coutu lasting all of a few days and Wes Byrum the only other kicker on the roster. But now, it appears the Seahawks will have a veteran presence at the kicker spot, though it's unknown how well Reed will hold-up, or whether he's in decline.

The news comes from Brian McIntyre at Mac's Football Blog.

Financial terms of the one-year deal were not disclosed.

During his nine-year career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Francisco 49ers, the former undrafted free agent out of North Carolina is 213-of-259 on field goal attempts.

McIntyre adds that Byrum is expected to be placed on waivers, with the Seahawks not wanting to carry two kickers.

NFL Free Agency: CBA Problems Could Keep New Signings From Practicing

On Thursday, all the free agent signings are supposed to be made official after almost a week of players hanging in limbo. For Tarvaris Jackson, Sidney Rice and numerous other Seattle Seahawks who just inked contracts, it's been a waiting game. They can show up to practice, sit through meetings and watch film, but can't actually take the field to work with their teams.

According to the timeline released at the end of the NFL lockout, Aug. 4 was the day for free agents. Their contracts would be made official then, coinciding with the new collective bargaining agreement being put into place. But ESPN's John Clayton says not to fast (via Doug Farrar).

@ClaytonESPN says on @BrockandSalk that the lingering CBA issues could delay free agents playing with their new teams until early next week.

Teams are already behind the curve after an offseason without mini-camps and team activities. Now, with even less time to bring new players into the mix, teams such as the Seahawks are way behind. With a new offensive coordinator and new-look offense, the Seahawks need all the time on the field they can get, especially with their new players.

Any delay could severely hamper the Seahawks and many other teams. As of now, this is just Clayton speculating, it seems, but there is a possibility free agents could still be on the sidelines through the weekend. Even with the NFL lockout over, we're continuing to see lingering affects.

Raheem Brock Scheduled For Workout With Patriots Wednesday

Defensive end Raheem Brock is set to work out with the New England Patriots Wednesday, according to The Red Zone. The 33-year-old Brock has spent nine seasons in the NFL.

Brock played his first eight seasons, from 2002 to 2009, with the Indianapolis Colts before playing for the Seattle Seahawks last year. He played phenomenally last year, posting a career high 9.0 sacks in the regular season. Brock experienced quite a renaissance, having recorded only 9.5 sacks in the previous three seasons combined. He added another 2 sacks in the Seahawks' postseason games against the New Orleans Saints and the Chicago Bears.

Brock and fellow defensive end Chris Clemens wrecked havoc on offenses last season. Clemens, who also spent his first year with the Seahawks in 2010 after stints with the Oakland Raiders, Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles,  recorded a career best 11.0 sacks. Together, Brock and Clemens combined for 20 of the Seahawks' 37 sacks last season.

The Seahawks should try to retain Brock's services after such a fantastic year last season. It appears that they may have competition, however, as Brock gets ready to work out with the Patriots Wednesday. 

Seattle Seahawks Sign Former Bills Safety Brett Johnson

The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to terms with former Bills safety Brett Johnson, according to Sports Radio 950's Curtis Crabtree. Johnson, 24, attended Cal and will enter his second season in the league.

Johnson played four years at Cal, working his way up from a special teams player to starting safety by his junior year. He started in 22 of his 49 games at Cal, and racked up 107 tackles during that time. Johnson also caught three interceptions for 64 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown.

Johnson went undrafted in 2010 but did get signed by the St. Louis Rams prior to their second practice. The Rams released Johnson on Sept. 3^rd prior to the start of the regular season, but he found a home with the Buffalo Bills on their practice squad a few months later.

Johnson spent three weeks with the Bills until his contract ended. The Bills chose not to extend his contract, and Johnson parted ways with the team. He will now get a chance with the Seahawks as they prepare for the 2011 season. 

Chris Henry Released By Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have cut running back/full back Chris Henry, according to Field Gulls' Danny Kelly. The four-year player out of Arizona leaves his third team in the past two seasons after stints with the Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans and Seahawks.

Henry began his NFL career with the Titans back in 2007 after being selected in the second round (50^th overall pick) of the NFL Draft. He rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries for a modest 3.8 yards per carry average. Unfortunately, 2007 would prove to be Henry's best year as he took only one carry in 2008 (for three yards) and none in 2009.

Henry spent some time with the Houston Texans later in the 2009 season, but he did not see any action on the field. The Seahawks signed Henry to the practice squad on Sept. 6^th last season, and he played on special teams against the Arizona Cardinals on October 24^th.

That game would mark his only appearance of the 2010 season and Henry ended his season on Jan. 4^th with a foot injury. The Seahawks did sign Henry through the 2011 season on Feb. 23^rd, but it appears that the team has changed its mind now. Henry will look to join his fourth team since entering the league four years ago.

2011 NFL Free Agents: Seahawks Confirm They've Signed Zach Miller

This Zach Miller story went one way, then the other way, then back another way, until finally it seems to end up this way. Don't you love rumor mills?

The latest story (and hopefully final story) is that the "Miller going back to Oakland" stories from this morning aren't quite correct. Adam Schefter tweeted that John Clayton and Mike Sando (talk about ESPN synergy!) are reporting that the Seattle Seahawks did indeed beat out the Oakland Raiders for Miller's services, and he will sign with them later today.

Miller is a perfect West Coast offense tight end and should fit in perfectly to the system Seattle runs. He can be put in optimal spots, make plenty of the necessary catches and should provide the Seahawks with another important offensive weapon they lacked last year.  Now if they could just get a quarterback that could get Miller the ball, they'd be set!

(Easier said than done.)

UPDATE: The Seahawks confirmed they've signed Miller. The deal is reported at 5 years, $34 million, with $17 million guaranteed.

For more on Seahawks free agency, check out Field Gulls.

2011 NFL Free Agency: Seahawks Sign Jimmy Wilkerson

The Seahawks acquired a defensive end! 

But it's not Osi Umenyiora.

Seattle has signed defensive lineman Jimmy Wilkerson to a one-year, $1.5 million dollar contract for the upcoming season. The veteran defensive end spent the 2010 season with the Saints -- his one and only season in New Orleans -- after multiple successful years in Tampa Bay and Kansas City.

John Clayton reported on Sunday that the Seahawks had worked out Wilkerson and then word came Tuesday morning of the signing. Liz Mathews has confirmed the signing with the team:

#Seahawks confirm the team has agreed to terms with Jimmy Wilkerson.

This is a solid signing to bring a veteran defensive end to Seattle. It remains to be seen if this move has any effect on potentially bringing Umenyiora to the great northwest, but one would have to assume it would not. Wilkerson could be a valuable player for a season or two, but he does not appear to be in the team's future plans past 2012 or 2013.

NFL Free Agency: Zach Miller Meets With Seattle, Could Be Heading Back To Oakland

The battle for Zach Miller is heating up and is likely nearing it's conclusion. After meeting with the Seahawks on Monday to discuss a potential move to Seattle -- albeit we still do not know if there's a legitimate interest or if Miller is simply using them for leverage -- the Raiders have allegedly done enough in terms of restructuring contracts to prepare the tight end a monster contract.

Did Oakland do enough to sway the tight end back in their favor? Did Miller really use Seattle just for leverage? Or is the talented tight end seriously contemplating a move north?

According to Greg Papa, the voice of Raiders Radio, Miller will be wearing black and silver this upcoming season.

That's the word from Mr. Raiders Radio, Greg Papa. He just said on 95.7 FM that "Zach Miller will be back with the Raiders."

The tight end, an unrestricted free agent, was up in Seattle yesterday visiting with the Seahawks, after waiting for a week for Oakland to get under the salary cap. Yesterday, the Raiders did that by re-doing linebacker Kamerion Wimbley's contract.

Papa put it well: "Al Davis didn't just give Kamerion Wimbley $29 million to lose Zach Miller to Tom Cable."

Wimbley tore up his $11.3 million franchise tag to sign up a five-year, $48 million contract, with $29 million of that guaranteed.

Could Papa have an inside scoop here? Maybe. Could he also just be speculating and letting a personal preference interfere with what's really going on? That's also possible. 

The Seahawks have $21 million dollars in cap space and could make an enticing offer to Miller should the tight end continue to show interest in Seattle. Oakland also has money, though, and they are not about to lose their star player for nothing. This could get really interesting in the coming hours and days.

NFL Free Agency: Zach Miller Could Be Interested In Seattle, May Be Using Seahawks

What, exactly, is Zach Miller doing in Seattle? We know the Oakland Raiders tight end is visiting the Seahawks on Monday, but we don't know how serious he is about joining the team. All along, the prevailing sentiment has been that Miller would eventually re-sign with the Raiders, albeit after they cleared some cap room. So it came as a surprise to see reports of his visit to Seattle on Monday. Is his interest in the Seahawks serious, or is there something more at play?

If the San Francisco Chronicle is right, Miller may be using the trip to Seattle as leverage, hoping to create a bidding war or force the Raiders to up the ante.

This could be a ploy by Miller to get some leverage in his dealings with Oakland - just to show the Raiders that he has other options. (And don't think former Raiders coach and current Seahawks offensive line coach Tom Cable isn't smiling a little bit if that's true.)

 

And it could be nothing other than a free lunch, as there were strong indications by many close to the Raiders on Sunday night that Miller would be in Napa soon

NFL Free Agents: Seattle Seahawks 'Plan On Signing' Zach Miller

The best laid plans don't always work out, but the Seattle Seahawks are reportedly working to sign Zach Miller. The Oakland Raiders tight end is in Seattle on Monday, sitting down with the Seahawks front office to talk business. He's being wined and dined with a clear goal in mind: To steal him from Oakland in the middle of free agency.

According to ESPN's Bill Williamson, the Seahawks aren't messing around. Miller re-signing in Oakland was once a sure-thing and now appears less than certain.

That may not be a good sign for the Raiders. All indications are that the Seahawks plan on signing Miller.

If he made the trip up North, it’s obvious Miller is willing to go elsewhere. Perhaps he made the trip to let the Raiders know he is losing patience.

Just because the Seahawks plan on signing Miller doesn't mean it will magically happen. This is a two-sided affair and Miller would have to be willing to part with the Raiders, something that seemed inconceivable a few weeks ago. And as Williamson mentions, this could all be a negotiating ploy on Miller's part.

Still, there's plenty of smoke and the Seahawks seem hell-bent on keeping Miller in Seattle. Whatever happens should occur quickly, and we should know how the trip went sooner rather than later.

Zach Miller Visiting Seattle, Seahawks Interested In Raiders' Tight End

Zach Miller is reportedly in Seattle on Monday, visiting the Seahawks during his free agency tour. Miller is more than intriguing for Seahawks fans and the reaction to the news he was visiting Seattle was overwhelmingly positive. If he does decide to sign with Seattle, Miller would immediately add another valuable weapon to the passing game, giving Tarvaris Jackson a big target in the middle of the field. You'd think the Seahawks would be interested.

The Seahawks are interested according to ESPN's John Clayton, who left this cryptic message on Twitter, essentially telling the Raiders to be afraid.

Raider fans might have to worry about the visit of TE Zach Miller to Sea. The Seahawks are interested

Be very afraid, Oakland.

And there's no reason for Seattle not to take a liking to Miller. The fact he's in Seattle on Monday could already be read as a sign of the Seahawks interest, along with the other obvious reasons having to do with his skill on the field and the allure of a quality pass-catching tight end. It wouldn't be surprising at all if the Seahawks pulled the trigger and tried to sign him while he's on his visit.

And if Seattle does, it would certainly be a cause for celebration. Adding another weapon in the passing game, to go along with Mike Williams and Sidney Rice, is never a bad thing. If the Seahawks are looking to upgrade around the quarterback before chasing a young signal-caller next offseason, this is a way to do it.

NFL Free Agency: Zach Miller Visiting Seattle Seahawks, According To Report

The NFL free agency period is still open, despite a lull in the action. Transactions came fast and furious as the free agency period opened last week, with many of the big names scooped up early. The Seattle Seahawks were among the teams active early in free agency and with many holes to fill, Seattle may not be done yet. In fact, as a new week begins at training camp in Renton, the Seahawks are reportedly bringing in Zach Miller in an effort to sign him.

According to Aaron Wilson, the Seahawks are hosting the former Oakland Raiders tight end.

Free agent TE Zach Miller is visiting the Seahawks today, per a league source.

Miller could make a fun addition to the Seahawks offense. When healthy, he adds another dimension to the offense, providing both bulk and a pass-catching presence from the tight end spot. His versatility, and ability to get out in the route, would be a solid addition anywhere, but especially in Seattle, where Miller could give Tarvaris Jackson a nice safety net early on.

Obviously it's just a visit, but keep an eye on Miller as free agency continues. We'll be back with more as it becomes available.

NFL Free Agency: Lofa Tatupu Visiting Oakland Raiders

Seattle Seahawks free agent linebacker Lofa Tatupu is gaining interest from multiple teams. One of the teams highest on his list? The Oakland Raiders. And according to reports, the talented linebacker will be paying Oakland a visit.

Tatupu, 28, has been in the league for seven years after being drafted out of USC. He has been a starter for Seattle most of that time, including a monster rookie season. Durability is not a concern seeing he has appeared in 84 of the 96 games he has been eligible for. In 2010, Tatupu played in all 16 games and recorded 88 tackles, a sack and an interception.

Tatupu would be a valuable addition to the Raiders linebacking core and could help improve a defensive unit that has recently dealt with multiple players leaving in free agency. He will likely have multiple suitors on the free agent market, but Tatupu's visit to the Raiders can only mean he is seriously considering joining the silver and black.

2011 NFL Free Agents: Kelly Jennings Returns To Seahawks

The Kelly Jennings experiment will continue in Seattle. Peter King of Sports Illustrated reports that the cornerback decided to return to Seattle on a one-year deal. Jennings will again test the free agent market in 2012, where he will probably have more suitors now that a great deal of solid cornerbacks will be off the market.

Jennings had a solid season in 2010 opposite Marcus Trufant, and he could very well step back into that role with the relative youth surrounding the two-deep. Walter Thurmond, who has been practicing in Jennings's spot, is only in his second year out of Oregon, and is still relatively inexperienced to the NFL rigors. Jennings shores up a position of need for Seattle, and should hopefully keep their pass defense from totally crumbling (Football Outsiders only had them ranked at 29th last year though, so an even half-decent performance this season would be a big upgrade).

Head to Field Gulls for more on comprehensive Seahawks coverage.

2011 NFL Free Agents: Ryan Sims To Sign With Seattle Seahawks, According To Report

Ryan Sims is back! Remember the top 10 draft pick from 2002 who turned out to be a colossal failure for both the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Bucs? That Ryan Sims fanclub was all filled up once upon a time, but things are no longer the way they once were.

I know you've all been wondering where exactly Ryan Sims ran off to. Would you believe me when I said UFL and the Virginia Destroyers? I thought only Ulysses S. Grant could ravage the Old Dominion State, but apparently they decided to give a football team the powers of Siva. Proud

So anyway, Sims is back with the Seattle Seahawks according to Jason La Canfora of NFL.com, presumably to play football for a month, get battered by players who are better than him, and then disappear back into the abyss of free agency. If he somehow does make the roster, it will be because he has wisdom and veteran leadership and knows what it takes to get there. Whereever there he is, he knows how to get there. That's what the Seahawks need.

For more on the Sims signing, check out Field Gulls.

Brandon Mebane Courted By Saints, Bears Before Re-Signing With Seahawks

Brandon Mebane might not have been at the dead center of the NFL free agent radars this offseason, but he was clearly within the circle of the coveted.  Mebane is a solid three technique defensive tackle who might be suited for nose guard duty because of his run stuffing abilities (as Field Gulls notes, he's not a great pass rusher), and could be the anchor of any NFL defensive line. Anyone with great run stuffing abilities has to be respected, because as John Madden would say, stopping the run is one of the big keys to winning football games.

It seems other teams had that idea as well. According to Dave Mahler of 950 KJR, the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints both inquired with Mebane about signing him, but the Seahawks still turned out ahead of those two NFC playoff contenders. I'm guessing it had something to do with money, because it always has something to do with money. Great detective work, me.

For more on Mebane and the Seahawks, check out Field Gulls.

Seattle Seahawks Say Goodbye To Matt Hasselbeck With Newspaper Ad

Lofa Tatupu Refuses To Take Pay Cut, Requested Release From Seattle Seahawks

Lofa Tatupu is no longer with the Seattle Seahawks, and it's all because he refused to lose a couple of million dollars. It's the kind of issue that makes you really feel like football players have a lot in common with the rest of us. Danny O'Neil from the Seattle Times has more.

Tatupu signed a contract extension with Seattle in 2008 worth more than $40 million. The deal called for him to make more than $4 million this year in base salary, not a prohibitively high number. The team requested a pay cut of somewhere in the neighborhood of $2 million.

Tatupu was also concerned by reports Seattle had pursued other linebackers, including Takeo Spikes, who presumably would have played his position. The perception was that Seattle had tried to sign Tatupu's replacement, and when they struck out in that regard, tried to sell him on taking a pay cut because the Seahawks really wanted to keep him.

You really can't come to a moral judgment on whether Tatupu was right or wrong. Tatupu probably didn't deserve the same salary he was receiving currently from the Seahawks organization, but he also probably wasn't given much wiggle room to prove himself on the field either, particularly with Spikes likely in his position to take his spot. It'll be hard to see Tatupu finding great value on the market though--he'd only be useful in a 4-3 defense, and 4-3 linebackers seem easy to find (it's generally the base college defense) compared to 3-4 linebackers.

Pete Carroll hasn't been too nice to his old Trojan buds, has he?

For more on Seahawks free agency, I'd suggest a prescription of Field Gulls.

NFL Free Agency: Chris Spencer Agrees To Terms With Chicago Bears, According To Report

The Chicago Bears have reportedly come to terms with former Seattle Seahawks center Chris Spencer according to sources, all but signaling that current center Olin Kreutz will be out the door. 

According to the Chicago Tribune's Brad Briggs the Bears have signed Spencer to a two year deal, although the numbers of the deal were not readily available. Spencer rejoins Bears assistant general manager Tim Ruskell who selected Spencer out of Ole Miss in the first round of the 2005 draft. This signing leaves another center without a home, Olin Kreutz, who will likely be on the radar of multiple teams after contract negotiations broke down earlier this week. If I had to make a guess I'd assume many teams will be vying for his services, including the Seahawks and 49ers out of the NFC West. 

Spencer started 70 games in six seasons with the Seahawks.

For more on the Seahawks, head over to Field Gulls to get your fix. 

Lofa Tatupu Release Draws Reaction From Seattle Seahawks On Twitter

Lofa Tatupu Released By Seattle Seahawks After Contract Negotiations Fail, According To Report

Lofa Tatupu, a long-time anchor of the Seattle Seahawks defense, has reportedly been released. Tatupu signed a rich extension in 2008, only to suffer through injuries since, leaving the Seahawks little choice but to ask him to restructure his contract. As the team hit the field for training camp, Tatupu was absent, sitting on the sidelines, but not doing any team-related workouts. As we found out later, Tatupu was in the midst of contract re-negotiations.

According to Adam Schefter, Tatupu did not restructure his contract and asked for a release instead. On Sunday morning, the Seahawks agreed to release him, ending his time in Seattle.

It's official: Seahawks and LB Lofa Tatupu decided to mutually part ways. He will be released and will be looking for work elsewhere.

With that, the Tatupu era is over. His early career with the Seahawks was outstanding, and he played a big role in the team's success in the mid-2000's. But he's fallen on hard times as football takes a toll on his body, forcing him to spend more time in the training room than on the field. With a variety of injuries and no guarantee he could stay healthy, the Seahawks had to work out a cheaper deal to free up cap room, and were unable to in the end.

Lofa Tatupu Mulling Contract Decision, May Be Released

Lofa Tatupu has a decision to make, according to reports, and it could end his time in a Seattle Seahawks uniform. After bursting onto the scene early in his career, Tatupu earned high accolades and the contract to go along with them. But since signing an extension with the Seahawks, he's fallen off significantly as his body succumbs to injuries, leavikng the front office with an overpaid and underperforming linebacker in the middle of a rebuilding process. You can probably tell where this is going.

Tatupu has reportedly been asked to restructure his contract as training camp gets underway, and if he decides not to, he may be on his way out. And it may come soon.

Well, there is a certain degree of uncertainty about his future with the team, and the reality is that he has been asked to adjust his contract.
[snip]
If he does not accept a reduction in salary, it presumably could lead to his release.

While the rest of the players under contract have been a practice and in training camp, Tatupu has been conspicuously absent. Mysterious reasons have been given for his absences, but the prevailing sentiment has been that Tatupu is being held out as the team decides what to do next while working with him to restructure his contract.

If Tatupu were to agree, he'd take a significant pay-cut. At present, the veteran middle linebacker is under contract until 2015, the product of a six-year, $42 million extension signed in 2008. But with multiple holes to fill on both sides of the ball, and a large rebuilding process to go along with them, the Seahawks need all the cap room they can find. Tatupu, unfortunately, may end up being a casualty of the process as the Seahawks try to get younger while building to the future.

Lofa Tatupu, Seattle Seahawks Working To Restructure Contract, According To Report

In 2008, Lofa Tatupu agreed to a monster contract extension, inking a deal with the Seahawks that was set to keep him in Seattle until 2015. At the time, the deal made him one of the highest-paid linebackers in the NFL, and rewarded Tatupu for his performance on the field early in his career. But since signing the extension, Tatupu has disappointed, suffering through injuries and poor performance. It was only a matter of time before the Seahawks asked him to work out some kind of deal.

According to Jason LaCanfora, via Brian McIntyre, Tatupu and the Seahawks are in talks about restructuring his contract.

@JasonLaCanfora reports that #Seahawks & Lofa Tatupu meeting to discuss possible contract restructure.

All had been quiet on the Tatupu front heading into camp. According to early reports, Tatupu had missed the first day, with the reason being somewhat mysterious at the time. Speculation grew, with many wondering whether the Seahawks were preparing to cut or trade the veteran linebacker.

As we now know, the answer was neither. Instead, the Seahawks could ask Tatupu to take a pay-cut in exchange for making him a free agent sooner. Any restructuring would free up money for the Seahawks to continue their rebuilding process without having to work around a monster contract signed under the previous regime.

NFL Free Agency: Seahawks DE Alan Branch Scouting Report By Doug Farrar

The Seahawks signed 26 year old DT/DE Alan Branch yesterday, absconding with the Arizona Cardinals' 33rd overall pick from 2007. Branch was originally drafted to play nose tackle for the Cardinals but didn't impress the coaching staff enough there to earn many starts. He was moved to defensive end last season where he flashed some brilliance, but again was too inconsistent to earn a regular starting position.

He projects to play in a rotation on the Hawks' defensive line and most probably spell Red Bryant at the 5-tech strongside defensive end position. If he impresses enough, he could even make a run at the starting job there. I put together a more detailed look at the pickup over at FieldGulls so go take a look at that if you get the chance but I wanted to bring up some scouting that Doug Farrar did on the Seahawks new DE as well.

Farrar, who writes for Football Outsiders, Yahoo Sports, SportsPressNW, and a myriad of other outlets, had this to say about Branch on his Twitter account:

"Finally got time to watch tape on Alan Branch. Really like him at that big 5-tech position. Rotational sub-package; inside/outside guy, but seals edge at the 5 in 3/4-man fronts. More explosive than quick off the snap. Commands extra attention (at least an xtra chip), allowing others to get through. He will help the 3-tech (Mebane) there. Branch likes pursuit; big body but not stuck at the line, will run up-down-side-side and has some short-area quickness for his size. Not a form target tackler out of the box, tends to flail, but when you see him in a four-man front, it's easy to see what they liked about him as a player who can keep Red Bryant fresh."

Farrar's always provides great analysis so if you're on Twitter give him a follow.

Brandon Mebane Contract With Seattle Seahawks Worth $25 Million Over 5 Years

The Seattle Seahawks re-signed Brandon Mebane to a 5-year, $25 million contract on Friday. The number figures were first reported by ESPN's John Clayton (via Tony Softli), and Clayton later stipulated that it includes $5 million in guarantees. 

The signing was a big priority for the Seahawks and it looks like they got their starting 3-tech defensive lineman for a relatively good price. We've talked about Mebane a lot over at FieldGulls, and there's been a great deal of speculation on how much he would fetch.

I admit that I thought he'd demand up to $10 million a year on the liberal side, and at worst about $4 million per on the conservative side. It looks like the Hawks will retain Mebane's services for around $5 million a year, which gives them some options in free agency moving forward and the contract isn't completely paralyzing for a front office that is still trying to build this team.

All in all, Friday was a good day for the Seahawks as they locked-up Mebane, a top-priority of the team in free agency. Seattle also added another capable body along the defensive line in Branch, and brought back Junior Siavii. Add it all up, and the Seahawks plugged holes and took care of a big position of need, at least for the time being.

For more on the Seahawks and Mebane, head over to Field Gulls.

NFL Free Agency: Leroy Hill Signed By Seattle Seahawks After Will Herring Leaves

It has been a wild last couple of days for the Seattle Seahawks. 

From John Clayton's tweet earlier:

The Seahawks didn't originally plan to re-sign Leroy Hill but they needed him after losing Will Herring to NO

Seattle did not plan on losing Herring, but New Orleans swooped in and signed the linebacker quickly and before a separate offer could be made. Hill's best days are likely behind him, but he is capable of contributing to a defensive unit that needed some touch up after recent departures.

Hill likely wasn't the first choice, though he does have a lot of history with the organization. The linebacker had some solid seasons from 2005-2008 as a starter and has played on-and-off since then. Injuries have been a concern, as have a few off the field issues, but hopefully the veteran will be able to leave these distractions behind him and put together a solid season in 2012 and beyond.

NFL Free Agency: Seahawks Re-Sign DT Brandon Mebane

Per John Boyle, Seahawks GM John Schneider has announced that Seattle has re-signed defensive tackle Brandon Mebane. This is welcome news for Seahawks fans, as Mebane was arguably one of the top priorities in this free agency class. Fans and sports writers alike have been waiting on baited breath for the announcement all day, and the rejoicing can finally begin.

Mebane has been with the Seahawks his entire career is has started every game he's played in the last three seasons. He'll return to likely play the 3-tech defensive undertackle position on the line. 

The Seahawks failed to select any 3-tech defensive linemen in the Draft so Mebane became an important piece to the puzzle for the defense. He'll join Colin Cole (if healthy), Red Bryant, and Chris Clemons to recreate in 2011 the Seahawks starting front four from the beginning of last year. They'll hope to have the same success they enjoyed early in the season before injuries hit Bryant, Cole and Mebane himself. 

The announcement comes on the heels of the re-signing of DT Junior Siavii and the signing of DT/DE Alan Branch. The Seahawks defensive line is starting to worry me a little bit less.

NFL Free Agency Rumors: Jordan Babineaux Considering Titans, Jets, Seahawks

Per King-5 TV's Chris Egan, former Seahawk and current free agent safety Jordan Babineaux's agent indicates his client is still considering re-signing with the Seahawks but is also getting heavy interest from the Titans and the Jets. He lists those teams as front runners but notes he hasn't given up the thought of re-signing with the team he's been a part of since 2004. Big Play Babs is one of the few remaining Seahawks that was a part of the glorious run to Superbowl XL in 2005.

Egan's Tweet:

"From Jordan Babineaux's agent. Bigplaybabs would love to return to #seahawks but #Titans and #Jets currently front-runners, hawks in mix."

It's unclear at this point how badly the Seahawks want to bring Babineaux back. This report seems to indicate that he's at least gotten an offer from his former team but there are no numbers yet disclosed. 

The Hawks have beefed up their secondary through the draft and rookie free agency and are looking to get younger at all positions. Babineaux is a veteran and versatile player that is able to match up against bigger receivers on the outside in certain situations but also can play the slot in nickel and dime package situations. Field Gulls writer Thomas Beekers put together a good look at the veteran safety that you should check out.

Stay tuned. There is more up-to-date analysis going on as always at FieldGulls. 

Brandon Mebane Offered Contract By St. Louis Rams, According To Report

As the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos battle over the rights to defensive tackle Brandon Mebane, the St. Louis Rams have shimmied their way into the mix and made a contract offer to him according to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 

The Rams are far from being considered a front-runner for Mebane's services with some speculation swirling about says he will remain a Seahawk in 2011. Seattle wide receiver Mike Williams tweeted earlier today that Mebane will be rejoining him and the rest of his teammates, but that report is, needless to say, untenable by any stretch of the imagination as Williams is not in the know about Mebane's contract status. 

Mebane has played his entire NFL career with the Seahawks after being selected in the third round in the 2007 NFL draft out of Cal. He has 148 tackles, 10 sacks, and two forced fumbles in his professional career thus far. 

For more discussion and analysis of the Seahawks, head on over to Field Gulls to get in on the action.  

Brandon Mebane, Seattle Seahawks Close To Deal, According To Report

The Brandon Mebane sweepstakes continues to roll on as the Seattle Seahawks were reportedly "very close" to a deal Thursday night, but nothing ever came to fruition according to Dave Meher of KJR 950 AM. 

Seattle has gone from being one of the only serious suitors for Mebane's services early on Thursday, to thinking that he was possibly too expensive and were out of the running later that day, to having serious discussions with him the same night and getting ever so close to inking him to a new contract. 

His asking price is still unknown, but the fact that the two sides can't come up with a deal says a lot about where the two sides are in negotiations right now. But if no one else is chomping at the bit to swoop him up for their squad there may be some truth to the fact that he wants to stay a Seahawk for the longterm. 

For more on the Seahawks, head over to Field Gulls. 

2011 NFL Free Agency: Seahawks Resign Veteran LB Leroy Hill

Pete Carroll and the Seattle Seahawks braintrust have been making some big moves this week in terms of their roster, but also have made a number of smaller but very notably moves as well; like the resigning of veteran linebacker Leroy Hill. 

The market for his services was fleeting at best, so the 'Hawks took a chance and resigned him again.Hill was a starter for Seattle from 2005-2008, then was unfortunately arrested on a marijuana charge in February of 2009. The Seahawks still designated Hill wit a franchise tag soon after that, but after taking Aaron Curry as the fourth overall pick in the 2009, Seattle revoked the franchise tag previously given to him and signed him to a six-year, $36 million extension instead.

Injuries and off the field issues have follow Hill around in his career; he missed five games due to injury in 2009 with career-low numbers in tackles (46) and sacks (1). He was arrested again on domestic violence charges in April 2010, although his charges may be dismissed if he meets certain court-ordered requisites. Seattle once again restructured his contract in August 2010, essentially removing the final four years of the deal. A one-game suspension to start the 2010 season would be the football punishment for his arrest in Georgia, but unfortunately injured his Achilles' in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos, the only game Hill would appear in 2010 before being put on ice the rest of the year.

Hill is still a valuable LB in this league, even if he isn't a regular in their defensive rotations. I think he will see a good amount of playing time in 2011 as long as he keeps his personal life from interfering and can stay away from the injury bug. 

For more on the Seahawks, stop over at Field Gulls to get your fix. 

2011 NFL Free Agents: Alan Branch Reportedly Agrees To Deal With Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks already swung for the fences by signing Sidney Rice and now seem to be shoring up positions of need in bite-sized portions. Late Thursday night, the Seahawks reportedly came to an agreement with former Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Alan Branch. Defensive line has been a significant area of need, and Branch would immediately bolster the talent and depth of the unit.

The news was reported by Adam Schefter on Twitter. Schefter filled in the details of the contract, which won't take too much money out of the Seahawks' coffers, all things considered.

Seahawks reach agreement with former Cardinals DT Alan Branch on a two-year, $8 million deal that includes $4 million guaranteed.

There's still one major piece of the puzzle left out in limbo and the Seahawks are actively seeking to re-sign Brandon Mebane. At last check, Mebane was in heavy negotiations with Seattle, and other major suitors were peeling-off and backing away from attempts to sign him. Things could still change in the negotiations, but a decision on Mebane is expected sometime Friday, and it appears the Seahawks are in the lead.

Brandon Mebane Too Expensive For Denver Broncos, According To Report

The Denver Broncos are looking at multiple players to upgrade their defensive lineup, but you can scratch Brandon Mebane's name off the list of potential suitors if reports coming out of Denver on Thursday night are true. The Seahawks DT will likely be too expensive for Denver to sign, and the Broncos have dropped their pursuit of Mebane.

The news came courtesy of this tweet from Arnie Stapleton:

#Broncos not in sweepstakes for #BrandonMebane, #Seahawks DT too pricey for them

While the price tag for Mebane is unknown at this point, he will have to look elsewhere for employment than Denver. The tackle out of the University of California has been in the league since 2007, where he has been a starter each year for Seattle. He has recorded ten sacks and 148 tackles in that time span.

Denver will continue to search for a defensive tackle and will likely add at least one within the week. As for the Seahawks, the team will continue to try and re-sign Mebane in the near future, perhaps as soon as Friday, if the two sides are able to come to terms.

Note: This post was written by Scott Campbell.

NFL Free Agents: Michael Robinson, Seattle Seahawks Reportedly Agree To Deal

The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to re-sign running back Michael Robinson for the 2011 season according to ESPN's John Clayton. 

Robinson made the most of his appearances for Seattle last season on special teams but had a few plays out of the backfield as well, carrying the ball 12 times for 77 yards and catching eight passes for 37 yards. He spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the 49ers before moving to Seattle last season where he likely will contribute more on offense alongside Marshawn Lynch, Leon Washington, and Chris Henry. 

A quarterback in his college days at Penn State, Robinson is also the only player on the squad aside from rookies that are built to play fullback, a place he likely will see the majority of his playing time out of the backfield this year. Whereever he plays, his versatility will be a great asset to the Seahawks as the move forward throughout the season.

For more on the Seahawks, head over to Field Gulls. 

NFL Free Agency 2011: Brandon Mebane Courted By Seahawks, Broncos, Others

With the free agency market growing smaller by the hour, many a NFL team is searching for quality players and in a hurry. As is the case with defensive tackle Brandon Mebane, who is being pursued by the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints and possibly others according to sources. 

The free agent Mabane had discussions with the Seahawks on Wednesday about trying to keep him in Seattle long term, and with other DT's being swooped up in Barry Cofield to the Giants and Charles Johnson to the Panthers, the pickings are starting to get slimmer for high caliber defensive lineman. 

Both the Broncos and Saints are in need of a DT as well, especially Denver, as they have been the most agressive team besides the 'Hawks to enlist his services. But things could get "expensive" with Mebane before it's all said and done because the lack of quality options will undoubtedly drive up the price to acquire him.

Mebane lives in the Seattle area and might prefer to be retained by the Seahawks, but would have to have a deal structured that would fit under their salary cap with the pricy additions of Robert Gallery and Sidney Rice to their squad. He could give the 'Hawks a hometown deal, but very likely could look for a bigger salary elsewhere. It should be an interesting negotiation process as Brandon makes a decision on where to go.  

PHOTO: Matt Hasselbeck Says Goodbye In Subtle Way

NFL Network Thinks Matt Hasselbeck Signed With Seattle Seahawks

Sidney Rice Contract Agreement: Five Years, $41 Million, According To Report

The Seattle Seahawks made their big splash in free agency on Wednesday, agreeing to terms with former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice. According to multiple reports, the Seahawks and Rice came together and agreed on a contract after negotiating over the first two days of free agency. At the time, we knew the deal was five years, but didn't know the terms of the contract or how much he may make over the life of the deal.

Shortly after Jay Glazer broke the news of Rice's agreement with the Seahawks, Pro Football Talk filled in the details. Rice will make $41 million over the course of the deal, and escalator clauses are involved.

UPDATE:  A league source tells PFT that the contract is worth $41 million, with $18.5 million guaranteed.  The deal also includes $3 million in escalators tied to Pro Bowl berths.

The reported agreement is a risk: Rice's hips don't inspire confidence and have the potential to be a nagging issue. But Rice is only 24, and possesses the speed and size to be a game-breaker in the Seahawks passing game. With Mike Williams on one side of the field and Rice on the other, the Seahawks have two large targets to help take some of the burden off new quarterback Tarvaris Jackson.

In all, it's hard not be excited about the deal. Rice brings a big play element the Seahawks offense has been missing and should make the team better both now and in the future.

For more on the Rice deal, head over here or visit SB Nation's StoryStream on the agreement.

NFL Free Agency: Sidney Rice, Seattle Seahawks Reportedly Agree To Terms

The Seattle Seahawks made another move that's been expected since free agency began, reportedly agreeing to terms with former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice. In Seattle, Rice would be reunited with Tarvaris Jackson, who is also a former Viking, and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, who held the same position in Minnesota. At this point, it appears as though the coaching staff is calling the shots and picking out free agents who can best fit the scheme Bevell is trying to implement.

According to Jay Glazer, the Seahawks and Rice have agreed to a five-year deal.

The seahawks have agreed to a 5 year deal with wr sidney rice. Still not signed but 2 sides have agreed to terms

Rice would be able to sign the contract on Friday, the first day free agents can actually ink deals. Thus far, the Seahawks have made a big splash in free agency, reportedly locking up Jackson, offensive guard Robert Gallery and now Rice. The three could become important pieces on the offensive side of the ball, at least in the immediate future.

With Rice in the mix, the Seahawks would have a legitimate downfield target that should be able to stretch the defense. The only question mark with Rice is his hip, an injury that plagued the explosive playmaker in 2010. If healthy, though, Rice has the ability to alter the Seahawks offense for the better, combining with Mike Williams to form a formidable tandem on the outside.

For more on the Rice deal, head over here or visit SB Nation's StoryStream on the agreement.

Mason Foster Agrees To Deal With Tampa Bay Buccaneers, According To Report

Former Washington linebacker Mason Foster has reportedly agreed to a four-year contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after he was taken in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. The mystery has been taken out of rookie contracts in the new collective bargaining agreement, and Foster, as a mid-round pick, was expected to agree to a deal quickly after teams were allowed to begin negotiations. Rookies will receive four-year contracts, as stipulated by the CBA, and a sliding scale determines the money ceiling of the deal.

Foster will be guaranteed $1.4 million and can earn up to about twice that over the length of his rookie contract. The first two years of his contract are, essentially, guaranteed, according to Rick Stroud.

Bucs LB Mason Foster, the 3rd round pick, signed 4-year deal worth $2.784-million with $1.4-million guaranteed in the first two seasons.

Foster was a standout performing for the Huskies, racking up tackles at an astounding rate throughout his career. He continued his steady performance in the workouts leading up to the draft, turning heads along the way. In Tampa, he'll have a chance to compete for a roster spot and place in the rotation, and it wouldn't be a surprise to see him shoot up the depth chart quickly.

NFL Free Agency Rumors: Sidney Rice, Seattle Seahawks Close To Agreement

The Seattle Seahawks may not be done raiding the Minnesota Vikings roster. On Tuesday, the first day free agents could negotiate with teams, Seattle reportedly agreed to terms with former Vikings' quarterback Tarvaris Jackson. Now, the Seahawks are reportedly close to an agreement with Minnesota wide receiver Sidney Rice, a versatile playmaker on the outside. The Seahawks have reportedly been in talks with Rice since free agency opened on Tuesday.

According to Scott Enyeart, a deal may be close, but nothing has been agreed upon yet.

The Seahawks deal with S. Rice is close. PC wanted to get more explosive on O. Rice meets that need. Again, close, not done

There are multiple teams in on Rice, including the Vikings, Seahawks and, perhaps, St. Louis Rams. Rice is coming off a hip injury in 2010, making his physical all-important in any negotiations. He'll need to pass the physical and get clearance from the doctors before any contract is finalized, and it may not happen until Friday.

If the Seahawks were to ink Rice, they'd immediately add another element of familiarity to the offense for Darrell Bevell. It's becoming a theme in the short 2011 free agency period, with Bevell bringing in Jackson and offensive line coach Tom Cable bringing in Robert Gallery. The moves should cut down on the time it takes to install Bevell's offense, and may ease the transition for the Seahawks.

2011 NFL Free Agency: Will Hearing, New Orleans Saints Reportedly Agree To Terms

The New Orleans Saints have reportedly made a move to shore-up their linebacking corps and special teams unit, agreeing to terms with free agent, and former Seattle Seahawk, Will Herring. With the Seahawks, Herring played more of a rotational role, making just six starts since 2007 and none this past season. Herring did, however, intercept a pass in 2010, in addition to forcing a fumble with the Seahawks.

The news of Herring's signing was passed along by Brian McIntyre on Twitter Wednesday morning.

Former #Seahawks LB Will Herring signs 3-yr deal with the #Saints, per @miketriplettp

Seattle Times' Seahawks reporter Danny O'Neil confirmed the news a short time later.

CONFIRMED: LB Will Herring will be leaving #Seahawks to sign with the #Saints.

Perhaps he can teach the Saints how to tackle Marshawn Lynch while he's there. No word on the terms of his deal with the Saints, other than the reported three-year length of the contract.

NFL Free Agents 2011: Olindo Mare Agrees To Deal With Carolina Panthers, According To Report

Olindo Mare will reportedly not be back in Seattle next season. According to multiple reports, Mare signed a four-year deal with the Carolina Panthers, leaving without a kicker heading into training camp. However, Mare wasn't going to come cheap, and if Wednesday's reported deal is any indication, the Seahawks made the right decision by choosing to go in a different direction.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Mare is set to earn a pretty penny with the Panthers, including a hefty signing bonus.

We have found Olindo Mare! He reached agreement with Panthers on a 4-yr deal for $12 million with a $4 million signing bonus.

At this point, it's hard not to think Mare didn't price himself out of Seattle. Four years at $3 million is a significant amount of money to spend on a free agent kicker who is already 38. Though we've seen kickers continue to play at a high-level well past the considered prime of a football player, a long-term contract for Mare seemed out of the question in Seattle.

Matt Leinart Agrees To Terms With Houston Texans, According To Reports

On Tuesday afternoon, various reports began to surface indicating MMatt Leinart had agreed to terms with the Seattle Seahawks, triggered by an ESPN report on Seattle's quarterback signings. Those reports, it turned out, were erroneous, with Leinart taking to Twitter to shoot them down while maintaining he had not made up his mind. Now, it appears we have some kind of clarity to the Leinart situation, with reports indicating he has signed with the Houston Texans, not the Seahawks.

Houston Chronicle reporter John McClain broke the news on Twitter, and explained why Leinart will be back in Houston.

Texans have agreed to contract with QB Matt Leinart. Coach Gary Kubiak wanted Matt Leinart back. Leinart told Kubiak he wanted to sign with a team that would give him a chance to start. When Seattle agreed with tavaris jackson, that cleared the door for Leinart to return to texans.

It is a bit odd, however, that Leinart chose Houston, where Matt Schaub seems to be entrenched as the starter. In Seattle, Leinart would have joined a wide-open, three-way competition for the starting quarterback job. In Houston, Schaub, Leinart, TJ Yates and Dan Orlovsky will all compete for the quarterback spot, with Schaub holding the clear upper-hand.

2011 NFL Free Agency: Robert Gallery Agrees To Terms With Seattle Seahawks, According To Report

Robert Gallery will reportedly sign with the Seattle Seahawks on Friday, the first day free agents can make it official and ink deals. The move has been expected -- Seattle needs veteran depth on the offensive line and Gallery's former offensive line coach, Tom Cable, joined the Seahawks staff this offseason. The reported signing is the second major deal for the Seahawks in the last two days, with Tarvaris Jackson becoming the first free agent Seattle locked up on Tuesday.

Seattle Times' Seahawks reporter Danny O'Neil confirmed the move on Wednesday morning.

CONFIRMED: #Seahawks have an agreement with Robert Gallery.

Gallery should make an immediate impact for the Seahawks, and has a head-start on the offensive line thanks to his relationship with Cable. He would seem to be a good fit for Seattle, adding a veteran presence to a line that's looking to come together and learn a new system.

Matt Hasselbeck, Tennessee Titans Reportedly Agree On Three-Year Deal

The Tennessee Titans seem to believe former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck has a lot left in the tank, and have reportedly signed him a three-year deal to serve as both the starting quarterback and a mentor to first-round draft pick Jake Locker. The Seahawks informed Hasselbeck of their plans to move on early in free agency, calling him Tuesday afternoon just before news broke indicating the team had signed Tarvaris Jackson.

According to the Tennessean, Hasselbeck will make a good amount of money over the reported length of the deal.

Hasselbeck will sign what sources say is a three-year contract for roughly $21 million. Exact terms aren’t immediately known. Free agent signings cannot take place until Friday.

Hasselbeck's role off the field, as a mentor to Locker, is as important as his role on it. By bringing in a veteran quarterback, the Titans are taking the pressure off Locker, and putting him in the best-possible position. From all indications, Locker needs to polish and should have time to learn the system while working on his mechanics in Tennessee.

The deal Hasselbeck has reportedly agreed to is well out of the Seahawks price-range. There was little chance the Seahawks wanted Hasselbeck on more than a one-year deal, with three years way out of the picture. Instead, Seattle opted to go with cheaper, more short-term quarterbacks in an effort to rebuild.

Matt Leinart Agrees To Terms With Seattle Seahawks, According To Report

Edit: Leinart to the Seahawks is not official and he has denied the reports on his Twitter account.

As expected, Matt Leinart has reportedly agreed to terms with the Seattle Seahawks, becoming the second free agent quarterback to agree to a contract with the team on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Tarvaris Jackson agreed to terms with the Seahawks, and will reportedly sign a contract on Friday, the first day free agents can officially sign. Leinart has been a rumored target of the Seahawks, with many hypothesizing that he could be reunited with former USC head coach Pete Carroll.

According to ESPN, Leinart and the Seahawks agreed to a contract, just as Jackson and the Seahawks did earlier on Tuesday.

The Seattle Seahawks agreed to deals with Tarvaris Jackson and Matt Leinart following the news that free-agent quarterback Matt Hasselbeck will not return to Seattle this season, multiple sources told ESPN.

Jackson, Leinart and Charlie Whitehurst would compete in an open competition for the starting quarterback job this coming season. The quarterback log-jam came about when the Seahawks chose not to pursue incumbent Matt Hasselbeck, instead opting to let him go in free agency. Hasselbeck is still mulling options that include the Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins.

With the latest move, the Seahawks should, finally, be done dealing with the quarterback position. With a slim market in free agency and quarterbacks commanding a hefty price via trade, Seattle has, apparently, chosen to save money and target a quarterback of the future following the 2011 season.

NFL Free Agency 2011: Tarvaris Jackson To Sign With Seattle Seahawks Friday, According To Report

Earlier reports indicating Tarvaris Jackson has reached an agreement with the Seattle Seahawks are now being confirmed, and the former Vikings quarterback will reportedly make it official and sign on the dotted line on Friday. Thanks to the NFL lockout, free agency is a bit different this year: Teams are allowed to negotiate with players beginning on Tuesday, but players cannot make it official and sign a contract until Friday. From all indications, though, Jackson will sign on the dotted line as soon as the league begins accepting contracts.

The news comes from Danny O'Neil, who earlier said the Seahawks and Jackson were hammering out the last few details of an agreement.

#Seahawks have reached an agreement with Tarvaris Jackson per a league source. He will sign with the team Friday.

But the Seahawks may be done. According to reports, Matt Leinart is still in play, and may yet end up in a Seahawks uniform, reunited with former USC coach Pete Carroll. For now, it appears the Seahawks are content to make small moves at quarterback, positioning themselves to find a quarterback of the future in 2012, either through the draft or free agency. With a barren quarterback market, it's hard to fault them.

NFL Free Agency: Matt Leinart Still An Option For Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks are reportedly working on a deal with Tarvaris Jackson, but they may not be done wading into the quarterback market. The need for a third quarterback is still there in Seattle, and rumors about Matt Leinart are still swirling. Leinart could be reunited with his college head coach, Pete Carroll, in Seattle before all is said and done, if the reports surfacing on Tuesday are true.

NFL Network's Jason LaCanfora reported Matt Leinart is "likely" in Seattle. He also confirmed the Tarvaris Jackson talk, which appears to be all but certain.

As I reported a while back, SEA was high on Tarvaris Jackson. He will sign there. Matt Leinart likely, too. Seahawks out of Kolb sweepstakes

CBS Sports' Mike Freeman chimed in, as well, tweeting that people around the league expect Leinart to end up in Seattle.

People around the league expect Seahawks to sign Matt Leinart. Tarvaris Jackson...Matt Leinart. Next up for Seahawks: Jeff George.

If it were to happen, the Seahawks would have Charlie Whitehurst, Jackson, Leinart and a whole lot of questions at the quarterback spot. None of the three hold a significant amount of useful experience and all are unproven starters. However, this could all be part of a rebuilding process, with the three combining to serve as a bridge to the quarterback of the future, whoever it may be.

Matt Hasselbeck 'Disappointed' Seattle Seahawks Chose Not To Re-Sign Him

Former Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's brother, ESPN analyst Tim Hasselbeck, hopped on the airwaves with 710 ESPN just moments after news broke indicating Tarvaris Jackson signed with Seattle to lend some insight into the situation. Hasselbeck said his brother had not heard from the Seahawks on Tuesday until the very end, when head coach Pete Carroll and John Schneider called to let him know the team was going in a different direction. He was emotional, his brother said, and seemed to be disappointed in the situation, which is part of the business in the NFL.

Tim Hasselbeck was surprised about how the whole deal went down, and said Hasselbeck had been fielding calls from teams all day. The Seahawks, however, were not one of those teams.

"I was definitely surprised. Really the way it went down was I had been kinda talking with him throughout the day, just trying to get some information to see what was happening. Matthew has been talking to me about teams who had been contacting him throughout the day and there were a lot of teams. The Seahawks weren't one of those teams."

He did say Hasselbeck was very appreciative of the Seahawks front office calling to inform him that they planned to go in a different direction

"Pete Carroll and John Schneider called Matthew -- the first time they've called him all day -- and said, "Hey listen, we appreciate all you've done for the organization, but we're gonna go in a different direction." He was really appreciative that Pete and John extended that courtesy and called him, but without a doubt a lot of disappointment in his voice. He wanted to remain a Seahawk and finish his career, but it's not gonna happen. It's part of the deal."

As for what's next, Tim Hasselbeck floated the same names that have been tied to his brother all day. He's heard from the Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins, Hasselbeck said on 710.

"In some ways, it's not really any different than it's been before, other than taking Seattle out of the mix. The Tennessee Titans are still very interested. The situation in Arizona is a little more fluid than anyone's realizing. The Cardinals now know the Seahawks are out of the Kevin Kolb game. The Miami Dolphins, San Francisco are also in the mix. For Matthew, there's still gonna be options, but this probably was a little bit surprising."

Tim Hasselbeck isn't too bullish on the Seahawks quarterback situation or Tarvaris Jackson, who agreed to terms with the Seahawks earlier on Tuesday.

"I don't know that there was another team out there that was going to give him a chance to compete for a starting job. I would think they would have to hold a pretty open competition between the guys on the roster."

Tarvaris Jackson Agrees To Terms With Seattle Seahawks, According To Report

Quarterback news is coming fast and furious for the Seattle Seahawks, triggered by reports indicating Matt Hasselbeck's tenure in Seattle was over. According to multiple reports, the Seahawks declined to offer Hasselbeck a contract, and acquired a quarterback to take his place in Seattle. That quarterback, we now know, is Tarvaris Jackson, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings.

Jackson's name was floated last week, with John Clayton calling it a certainly that he'd be the Seahawks starter this coming year. Since then, the rumors have continued to swirl, coming to a head on Tuesday as NFL free agency opened. According to Dave Mahler, Jackson agreed to terms on Tuesday and is headed to Seattle.

Hearing from source #seahawks have come to terms with QB Tarvares Jackson. Flying to Seattle tonight

Bringing in Jackson adds an element of familiarity to the offense for new coordinator Darrell Bevell. The two worked together while with the Minnesota Vikings, giving Jackson a leg-up in camp with his knowledge of the playbook. With just a short time to get the offense installed, his presence should help, but understandably has Seahawks fans squirming.

With Jackson, the Seahawks will have a mobile quarterback with a strong arm, but questionable decision-making. Bevell and head coach Pete Carroll have been shifting toward more of a dual-threat in the backfield, and want to focus more on the running game. It's a shift from the past, but

The biggest question mark on the Seahawks roster now has an answer, be it short-term or long-term. With free agency just hours old, this is just the beginning, and the Seahawks still have plenty of money to spend and room to make waves over the next week.

2011 NFL Free Agency: Matt Hasselbeck Not Coming Back To Seattle Seahawks, According To Multiple Reports

A torrent of reports have come flooding in indicating Matt Hasselbeck will not be back with Seattle. Charles Robinson floated a report in an off-hand way a short time ago, but it now appears Hasselbeck's time with the Seahawks is officially done. The Seahawks were steadfast in limiting any offer to Hasselbeck to a one-year contract, and have back off significantly since March, the last time the two sides negotiated, according to a report.

Seattle Times Seahawks reporter Danny O'Neil took a firm stance on Hasselbeck just moments ago, tweeting that he's filed a story on Hasselbeck not coming back to Seattle.

Filed to The Seattle Times: Matt Hasselbeck will not re-sign with the Seattle #Seahawks.

In addition to O'Neil's report, 950 KJR personality Dave "Softy" Mahler tweeted the Seahawks and Hasselbeck have not spoken since March.

Source tells me Hawks and Hasselbeck haven't spoken since March. Hawks only willing to offer 1 year deal.

This is about as firm a word as we're going to get on Hasselbeck, and it seems he'll end up in one of the rumored destinations that have popped up on Tuesday morning. The Tennessee Titans, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals and Miami Dolphins are all reportedly in the mix with the Seahawks now out of the picture.

Seattle has options moving forward and has been linked to a variety of quarterbacks available via a trade or free agency. Tarvaris Jackson's name keeps coming up, as has Kevin Kolb's and Carson Palmer's. But the situation remains fluid, and nothing firm has been reported as of Tuesday afternoon.

Matt Hasselbeck Not Signing With Seattle Seahawks, According To Report

Finally, we have some kind of firm report on Matt Hasselbeck's status as it relates to the Seattle Seahawks. For weeks, we've heard Hasselbeck probably won't be returning to Seattle, but the door has been left open. But if Charles Robinson, a solid source of information from Yahoo!, is correct, it's not happening, and it's time for Seahawks fans to move on.

Robinson took to Twitter a short time ago to talk about the Kevin Kolb sweepstakes, saying Seattle was in on the Philadelphia quarterback. But it was his note about Hasselbeck that seemed about as firm as any out there that raised some eyebrows.

In other news, Arizona favorite for Kevin Kolb, but don't sleep on Seattle. Hasselbeck not re-signing with the Seahawks. Seattle in the race

Hasselbeck is still weighing his options, with the Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins and Tennessee Titans all making a play for his services. He may end up in Tennessee, where he can serve as a mentor to Jake Locker and a stop-gap to the future. But it's looking more like Hasselbeck will not be back in Seattle in a move that's sure to disappoint some fans.

With the unpredictable nature of free agency, there's always a chance the news can change. But all signs are now pointing to Hasselbeck ending his career elsewhere, and the Seahawks moving on to another quarterback option.

2011 NFL Free Agents: Seattle Seahawks Still Looking At Tarvaris Jackson

The Seattle Seahawks are still weighing their options at quarterback, and Tarvaris Jackson's name continues to come up. With Matt Hasselbeck's status uncertain -- he's weighing his free agency options now -- the Seahawks are looking for some kind of clarity at quarterback, be it through free agency or a trade. While a signing may not be imminent, that hasn't stopped the free agency rumors from heating up.

The Jackson to Seattle rumors are still swirling, with Sports Illustrated saying he's expected to be Matt Hasselbeck's replacement for the Seahawks.

The Vikings' starter in 2007 (he threw for 1,911 yards, nine touchdowns and 12 interceptions), Jackson was used sparingly over the last two seasons as Brett Favre's backup. Now he is expected to replace Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle. Jackson, 28, played under new Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell in Minnesota, so he is familiar with the system and should be able to immediately lead the offense.

The rumor passes the smell test and would seem to fit the Seahawks philosophy. With Darrell Bevell taking over at the offensive coordinator spot, the Seahawks are expected to feature the run game even more this season, and seem to be looking for a mobile quarterback, at least as a stop-gap solution.

Jackson could also be reunited with Sidney Rice, who is a rumored target of the Seahawks. While it appears Seattle is busy in the free agency market -- and has plenty of money to spend -- no moves have been made as of yet.

NFL Free Agency Rumors: Sidney Rice An Option For Seattle Seahawks

At this point, the Seattle Seahawks may become the West Coast version of the Minnesota Vikings. As it stands, Seattle has already brought Darrell Bevell, a former Vikings offensive coordinator, into the mix in the same role. Now, the Seahawks are looking at two free agents from Minnesota: Tarvaris Jackson and Sidney Rice.

We've known all along about Jackson, who may be a stop-gap at quarterback. But on Tuesday, Rice's name emerged, and he may be a solid fit in Seattle.

Matt Hasselbeck A Popular NFL Free Agent; Tennessee Titans Making A Play

The Tennessee Titans reportedly swung for the fences early in the 2011 NFL free agency period, offering Matt Hasselbeck what's been deemed as a "large contract." Hasselbeck hit the market on Tuesday morning after failing to agree to terms with the Seattle Seahawks ahead of the NFL lockout. Over time, the Seahawks feelings for Hasselbeck have cooled, with many analysts hypothesizing that there's no chance he returns to Seattle.

According to National Football Post, the Hasselbeck bidding war has begun, and the Titans, Seahawks, and others are in play.

The Seattle Seahawks would like to bring him back –- and losing Hasselbeck would put them in the market for an experienced player – but according to former NFP columnist Mike Lombardi, now of the NFL Network, the Tennessee Titans are making a strong push for Hasselbeck. That’s not a surprise.

Seattle Times Seahawks reporter Danny O'Neil ran down the list of potential suitors, including two other NFC West teams and a surprise team in the mix.

He is an unrestricted free agent, the top quarterback in the class, and while it's early -- just the first hour when teams can contact players -- the list of teams in play are Seattle, Arizona, San Francisco, Tennessee and Miami. Those are listed in no particular order.

The Titans are looking for a veteran quarterback to groom Jake Locker and take the pressure of their franchise rookie. Arizona and San Francisco each have serious quarterback issues, as we all saw up-close last season. The Seahawks still need some kind of veteran presence at quarterback, and don't seem to be ruling anything out yet. But it's early, and all indications are teams have begun to put out feelers on Tuesday morning.

For the latest on free agency, including players to watch and Seahawks transactions, stay with this StoryStream. For full coverage of the Seahawks free agency moves, head over to Field Gulls.

2011 NFL Free Agents: Steve Young Likes Matt Hasselbeck In San Francisco

The quarterback situation may be like kicking dominoes during the 2011 NFL free agency bonanza, and the Seattle Seahawks are expected to join the carousel. With only one quarterback on the roster -- Charlie Whitehurst -- the Seahawks have a clear need, and should be players in either free agency of the trade market as the team looks to secure a stop-gap, at the very least. Matt Hasselbeck, Carson Palmer, Tarvaris Jackson and many others have been linked to the Seahawks, with every analyst trying to figure out how the quarterback shuffle will play out.

Steve Young hopped into the free agency mix, offering his opinion on the quarterback landscape. Young thinks Matt Hasselbeck ends up with the 49ers, Carson Palmer joins the Seahawks and Donovan McNabb heads to Minnesota (via Rob Staton).

Steve Young just said Matt Hasselbeck to San Fran, Carson Palmer to Seattle and D.McNabb to Minnesota. Can't see MH in SF.

As soon as Tuesday, the carousel will start spinning. Teams are allowed to begin negotiating with free agents and with each other, in an effort to trade, at 7 a.m. PDT on Tuesday. And if the big game of quarterback roulette happens like most believe, it may be settled in the morning.

We don't know, however, who will end up where at this point. The Seahawks have been strongly linked to Jackson, Palmer if the Cincinnati Bengals will trade him, and even Hasselbeck, though that appears to be a long-shot at this point. It all adds up to a whole lot of uncertainty. Luckily, it shouldn't last long.

For the latest on free agency, including players to watch and Seahawks transactions, stay with this StoryStream. For full coverage of the Seahawks free agency moves, head over to Field Gulls.

Mark LeGree Is Ready For Football

Tim Hasselbeck Thinks Matt Hasselbeck Is An Amazing Free Agent

2011 NFL Free Agents: Matt Leinart Another Option For Seattle Seahawks

By now, we all know the story of Matt Leinart. The Arizona Cardinals drafted the USC standout with the 10th overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. Since then, he's spent his time on the sidelines, holding a clipboard as quarterbacks passed him by. Ahead of the 2010 season, the Cardinals decided to cut ties, and Leinart headed to Houston, playing a backup role and never seeing game action for the Texans. So why is he a possible option for the Seattle Seahawks as the NFL free agency period opens?

As crazy as it sounds, Leinart is in play as the Seahawks search for an answer at the quarterback spot. That doesn't, however, mean he's the Seahawks savior. As Danny Kelly points out at Field Gulls, perhaps Leinart just needs a chance, and the confidence of his head coach. Pete Carroll knows Leinart well from their time at USC, and knows which buttons to put to get him to perform.

This next part might intrigue you a little bit. As Jess alluded to, Pete Carroll, shortly after accepting the reins for the Seahawks last season, talked to reporters about how important job-security was for Leinart and how he was floundering a bit before being given the starting job over Matt Cassell. After 'winning' that confidence from his coach, he went on to play so well he won the Heisman Trophy. Here's what Carroll said about Leinart's chances starting for the Cardinals last season:

"I know the fact when Kenny [Whisenhunt] says to Matt, 'You're my starting quarterback', it makes worlds of difference to Matt. I watched that happen when we had to choose between he and Cassel years ago. Matt was floundering. Cassel was floundering. We didn't look like we were going anywhere. Then we made a call the last day of spring practice, 'OK, if we were playing a game today, you'd be the starter, Leinart. Go ahead and take it over.' He had a look in his eye. He said what I think he probably said to Kenny: 'You'll never regret this and you'll never have to look back.' And he just flipped and hit the switch.

Read the rest of his post for the full experience.

Kelly also looked at the Seahawks and whether the team would be a good fit for Leinart. It is, he found, and Leinart could succeed, if given the opportunity.In fact, Seattle may be the best situation for Leinart.

I would have to think, of all the teams in the league, the 'right situation at the right time with the right kind of people' would most aptly describe the current state of the Seahawks. On paper, the Seahawks are more than right for Leinart. Now, is Leinart right for the Seahawks? THAT, my friends, is a 'whoooooole nother question,' as they say.

The rumor is out there, and has been for months. Back in May, talk about Leinart heading to Seattle heated up, and though it's died down a bit, the possibility is still alive.

Scott Wolf of Inside USC reported yesterday that he's hearing "the Seahawks spoke to former USC quarterback Matt Leinart about joining the team next season." Though these rumors have been floated recently simply out of a logical deduction regarding Carroll and Leinart's history together and the fact Leinart is a free agent, this is the first I've heard of any actual source to the idea. I'm not saying that I necessarily believe what Wolf is reporting, but it's an interesting development nonetheless as I'm a bit of a sucker for rumor mongering.. cough.

Depending on how things shake out in free agency, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Leinart in Seattle. At worst, he's worth a look as a backup, and could be another Pete Carroll reclamation (tm) project.

For the latest on free agency, including players to watch and Seahawks transactions, stay with this StoryStream. For full coverage of the Seahawks free agency moves, head over to Field Gulls.

NFL Free Agents 2011: Tarvaris Jackson Linked To Seattle Seahawks

Last week, ESPN's John Clayton hopped on Seattle radio and confidently declared Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck would not be back, and Tarvaris Jackson would be the starter in 2011. The assertion raised some eyebrows, and rightfully so. However, the Jackson to Seattle rumors does have a basis in reality, and makes sense on multiple levels -- enough that the local media has picked it up and ran with it.

Jackson knows new Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell from their time with the Minnesota Vikings. The relationship, and Jackson's knowledge of the playbook, could make the Seahawks offensive transition smoother. With only a small amount of time to learn the playbook, Seattle is at a distinct disadvantage, and Jackson would have an immediate leg-up on the competition.

CBS Sports Draft analyst Rob Rang is sold on Jackson as the Seahawks starter, telling KJR he believes Jackson will beat-out Charlie Whitehurst for the starting job earlier this afternoon. That alone isn't surprising -- Jackson knows the offense, has the athleticism Seattle desires and would seem to have more raw ability that Whitehurst. But Rang, who always delivers solid scouting analysis, took it a step further, saying Jackson has the potential to be a Pro Bowl level quarterback.

While Jackson doesn't exactly inspire confidence, and has yet to perform on a consistent basis, he could have a chance to succeed in Seattle. The Seahawks' options at quarterback are wide-open, and Jackson would be the immediate front-runner for the starting job, if Seattle does pull the trigger and sign him. The options are aplenty, including Jackson, Whitehurst, the return of Matt Hasselbeck or a trade, and the Seahawks have a big decision to make as free agency opens.

For the latest on free agency, including players to watch and Seahawks transactions, stay with this StoryStream. For full coverage of the Seahawks free agency moves, head over to Field Gulls.

2011 NFL Free Agency Rumors: Ray Edwards A Seattle Seahawks Target, According To Report

John Clayton is doing what John Clayton does on Monday as teams get set to sign free agents at a blistering pace. Clayton has been all over the Seattle Seahawks, taking stabs at what players the team will make a run at and what the roster will look like when the dust settles. Clayton took time out from hammering home the point that Tarvaris Jackson, not Matt Hasselbeck, will be the Seahawks starter in 2011 to discuss free agent rumors, including a Ray Edwards to Seattle projection.

Clayton believes Edwards, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings, may end up in Seattle, calling the Seahawks the lead suitor. He doesn't believe Seattle will re-sign defensive end Raheem Brock, leaving a hole at the end position.

4. Ray Edwards, DE, Minnesota Vikings: Edwards is a bigger name than Johnson because he has played on a high-profile Minnesota Vikings team, but he hasn't had a double-digit sack season yet. He's had eight and 8½ sacks in the past two seasons. Still, he has 10-sack potential, and for teams with desperate needs for a pass-rusher, Edwards could be the answer.

Let the games begin. With a small amount of time to sign free agents, rumors should come fast and furious, compounded by head coach Pete Carroll's tendency to quickly make moves. Seattle has money to spend and plenty of positions that need upgrading, making the free agency period an exciting time for Seahawks fans.

For the latest on free agency, including players to watch and Seahawks transactions, stay with this StoryStream. For full coverage of the Seahawks free agency moves, head over to Field Gulls.

2011 NFL Free Agency Schedule: NFLPA Sends Agents League Year Calendar

The end of the NFL lockout means the beginning of the 2011 league year, which includes free agency, trades and the typical offseason transactions. However, because the NFL was in the midst of a work stoppage during the period that a typical offseason is conducted, the timeline for signings and other transactions is accelerated, leaving teams about a week to scramble to fill-out a roster, sign rookies, get under the salary cap and lock-up restricted free agents. It's hectic, but we do have some clarity, in the form of a schedule for the 2011 NFL free agency period from the NFLPA.

Here is the timeline sent to agents by the NFLPA on Monday. It is, essentially, the same as the one that's been reported throughout the day. calendar

Monday: NFL will publish the 2011 free agent list, set to go into affect on Friday.

Tuesday: Teams may begin negotiating with their own drafted rookies. unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents, exclusive rights players and franchised players. Teams may also begin negotiating with other teams' restricted free agents and unrestricted free agents, but may not offer a contract or extend an offer sheet. Trading may commence and teams may also sign undrafted rookie free agents.

Wednesday: Training camps begin to open.

Thursday: Teams may waive players.

Friday: Teams may renegotiate contracts and sign their own unrestricted free agents, restricted free agents, exclusive rights players and franchise players. Teams may also sign or extend offer sheets to other teams' restricted and unrestricted free agents.

The Seattle Seahawks are scheduled to open training camp on Wednesday, the first day teams can setup shop. A full training camp start date schedule can be found here.

For the latest on free agency, including players to watch and Seahawks transactions, stay with this StoryStream. For full coverage of the Seahawks free agency moves, head over to Field Gulls.

NFL Free Agency Rumors 2011: Matt Hasselbeck, Tarvaris Jackson And The Seahawks Quarterback Spot

The Seattle Seahawks have a serious problem entering the shortened 2011 NFL free agency period. To put it nicely, the Seahawks quarterback situation is in disarray, with Charlie Whitehurst the only viable option currently on the roster and Matt Hasselbeck, the long-time incumbent, set to enter the free agent market. For months, analysts have picked apart and hypothesized what moves Seattle may make to shore-up the quarterback spot, and with the free agency period set to begin on Tuesday, we're about to have some finality to it all.

At this point, Hasselbeck's status is up in the air, to say the least. There's still a chance he could be back in Seattle, or he may end up as a mentor to Jake Locker in Tennessee. It's even possible he signs with the Arizona Cardinals.

Hasselbeck could still be a veteran leader for a team in search of one. So rumors linking Hasselbeck to the Tennessee Titans make sense: Hasselbeck could give Tennessee a reliable baseline the Titans didn't have during the tumultuous Vince Young era.

Other teams with holes at quarterback that might consider Hasselbeck include the Seahawks' NFC West rivals, the Arizona Cardinals, and ... his own Seattle Seahawks, if Pete Carroll's regime decides bringing back Hasselbeck to compete with Whitehurst is worth doing.

At one point, Kevin Kolb was thought to be an option, though that sentiment has faded significantly as the season neared. As Seattle Times Seahawks reporter Danny O'Neil noted on Twitter, Kolb is going to cost a team a lot, and the price may have been too high for the Seattle front office.

I've heard nothing from the #Seahawks to discourage growing feel that price for acquiring Kevin Kolb was deemed to steep by Seattle.

And then there's Tarvaris Jackson, a name floated by ESPN's John Clayton last week. Jackson knows the system of new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, cutting down on the learning curve necessary to grasp the offense. He's mobile -- a direction the Seahawks appear to be heading when looking for a quarterback -- but has never produced at a consistent level.

For the Seahawks, the next four days are key, especially when it comes to finding a quarterback. With a variety of options on the table, it's almost impossible to predict which direction head coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider may go, making it both an exciting and scary time.

For the latest on free agency, including players to watch and Seahawks transactions, stay with this StoryStream. For full coverage of the Seahawks free agency moves, head over to Field Gulls.

NFL Free Agents 2011: Unrestricted Free Agent List For Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have a serious list of undrafted free agents to deal with as the 2011 free agency period opens. It's both a gift and a curse for the Seahawks, who will have money to spend in free agency, but also have a significant number of holes to fill at all-important positions. Among the free agents, Matt Hasselbeck immediately jumps off the page, along with numerous other key contributors from the 2010 team. Free agency is going to be a bumpy ride, and handling the unrestricted free agents will be a big role of the shortened period.

ESPN has compiled a list of all unrestricted free agents, broken down by team. For the Seahawks, the list is lengthy, and doesn't exactly inspire confidence in the current roster of players under contract. Nevertheless, this is the starting point for the Seahawks as the no-holds-barred free agency period begins.

Teams can begin to negotiate with free agents on Tuesday, if the tentative free agency schedule is correct. On Friday, teams can begin to submit transactions and contracts to the league.

For the latest on free agency, including players to watch and Seahawks transactions, stay with this StoryStream. For full coverage of the Seahawks free agency moves, head over to Field Gulls.

2011 NFL Free Agency: Rules, Schedule And Seattle Seahawks Targets

The NFL lockout is all but over, pending a final vote from the players, which should happen on Monday or Tuesday. With the end of the work stoppage coming so close to the start of training camp, and the elimination of the normal NFL offseason, free agency will take on a new life in 2011. This year, free agency will be a completely different beast, unlike anything we've ever seen before. It's going to be wild, with four months of offseason transactions crammed into about a week of time.

Because free agency will be a different ballgame, there are a few new rules to get used to. Part of the negotiations to end the lockout included a provision to get rid of the right of first refusal during the 2011 NFL free agency period. Simply put, instead of teams being able to tag certain players as right of first refusal, now the players will head to the open market. There does not appear to be an exclusive negotiating period at this time, meaning free agency is, essentially, a free-for-all.

The schedule for free agency is wildly accelerated, as well. Below is the tentative schedule, as reported by ESPN.

Monday: Teams will receive the official list of free agents. Teams can also expand their rosters to 90.

Tuesday: Rookie draft picks and undrafted free agents can be signed beginning at 10 a.m. EDT. Teams can also begin to reach agreements with free agents and team facilities will open to players under contract. Trades can also be negotiated.

Wednesday: Training camps begin to open. The Seattle Seahawks plan to open camp on Wednesday, with starts staggered throughout the week. You can find a full training camp schedule here.

Thursday: Cut day! Teams can begin to cut players to get under the cap, beginning at 4 p.m. EDT.

Friday: Transactions can be filed, beginning at 6 p.m. EDT.

Again, this schedule is fluid and subject to change. The NFLPA is currently meeting and going over the proposed agreement, though it is expected to approve the settlement, perhaps as early as Monday afternoon. Any delays will impact the schedule, and it could shift by a day or more.

For the latest on free agency, including players to watch and Seahawks transactions, stay with this StoryStream. For full coverage of the Seahawks free agency moves, head over to Field Gulls.