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.
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.