Matt Hasselbeck and the Seattle Seahawks are unable to sit down and work on a contract extension, thanks the NFL lockout. With a lockout in place, the two sides are unable to talk, let alone hammer out negotiations to bring the veteran quarterback into the fold for at least another year. The lingering uncertainty has the Seahawks moving forward under the assumption Charlie Whitehurst will take the helm this coming season, and may force Seattle to look towards the draft for immediate help.
In an interview with Dave "Softy" Mahler, Hasselbeck updated his status and debunked a few of the reports concerning his future with the team. Recently, reports have began to surface indicating Seattle may not bring Hasselbeck back this season, instead relying on Whitehurst and looking to bring in a capable quarterback through a trade or free agency (via Sports Radio Interviews)
But absolutely nothing has gone on in terms of talks because nothing can go on. So we're in the exact situation that we were on March 3rd. It's funny, you'll be on vacation or be somewhere and you'll see something come across the ticker like it's news. I mean, nothing can happen.
For his part, Hasselbeck wants to move forward and finish his career in Seattle. His family has rooted themselves in the city and the Seahawks have been, essentially, all he knows as an NFL quarterback. His biggest successes have been in Seattle and he's become a fixture with the team, even leading it to Super Bowl XL.
My hope is that I'm back, but some things are out of your control. And if they don't want you back, they don't want you back, and there's nothing I can do about that.
With no word on if or when the lockout will end, Hasselbeck will stay in a holding pattern indefinitely. We'll know more about the Seahawks plans after the draft, where they should have a chance to draft one of the top-four quarterbacks in the 2011 class.
Stay with this StoryStream for ore on Hasselbeck and his future in Seattle. For more on the Seahawks, head over to Field Gulls.