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
It wouldn't surprise me at all if this was part of the game. The
Seahawks are reportedly serious about Miller, but may be in a battle they can't win. While Pete Carroll and John Schneider do want the big tight end, it would be irresponsible to break the bank to get him away from Al Davis and the Raiders. Then again, the Seahawks could drive up the price and force Davis to put his money where his mouth is.
Miller, on the other hand, wins no matter what. If a bidding war takes place, he receives a big pay raise; if the Seahawks don't get involved, he returns to Oakland as planned. It's a good situation to be in, much better than just having the Raiders vying for his services.
While his trip to Seattle is real and the Seahawks are interested, it may be all for show. At this point, nobody has any idea for certain, making his courtship intriguing for fans of both teams.
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