Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

Seattle Seahawks CB Marcus Trufant will probably spend the rest of his career in the great northwest after signing a six-year, $50.2 million contract today. There are $20 million in guarantees and a $3 million roster bonus due in 2010 means Marcus is due $28 million over the first three years of the contract, making him one of the highest-paid cornerbacks in the NFL. Marcus has been free to negotiate with other teams since free agency began back on March 1, but his agent, Doug Hendrickson, said that never happened because teams did not want to give Seattle two first-round draft choices should the Seahawks decline to match other offers, per the league’s franchise-tag rules. At any rate, Marcus should now be able to afford a nice honeymoon as he is getting married Saturday.

The ‘Hawks are obviously determined to keep their star players. Less than a week ago they secured LB Lofa Tatupu for eight years. Seattle now gets a lower salary cap number for Marcus in 2008, lessening the pressure the team had been feeling after signing free-agent running backs Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett, plus former Pro Bowl guard Mike Wahle.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Seahawks’ Marcus Trufant: $50 Million Man

Blogcasting the National Football League, Blogcasting the NFL

The Seattle Seahawks signed former Dallas Cowboys RB Julius Jones to a four-year, $16 million contract today. Julius was one of the most talked about free agent RBs in this year’s market, if only a “second-tier” option for most teams. I think it’s an excellent pickup for Seattle. Julius was kind of phased out of the Dallas offense (164 carries, 3.6 ypc) with the emergence of All-Pro Marion Barber, so this should provide him with a great opportunity to get his career back on track.

J2 is the second free agent running back signing by the Hawks this week. The Seahawks obviously needed some help for the aging and oft-injured Shaun Alexander, but they’re not going to keep this many running backs on the team. They also added T.J. Duckett from Detroit and they’ve got Maurice Morris as well. So someone’s going to be the odd man out. And my guess is it might be Shaun. Seattle’s running game has significantly fallen off since he was the league MVP in 2005. That was when he rushed for 1,880 yards and 27 touchdowns in a Super Bowl season. He’s been injured and ineffective since, and Seattle averaged just 4.0 yards per carry in 2006 and 3.8 last season.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Seattle Sehawks Add Julius Jones to RBs