Seahawks Insider Mike Sando is entering his ninth season covering the Seahawks and writing NFL columns for The News Tribune. Mike contributes regularly to KJR-AM 950, Pro Football Weekly, USA Today Sports Weekly and elsewhere. He also co-authored Steve Raible's Tales From the Seahawks' Sideline. MIKE'S BLOG IS INFORMATIVE IN NATURE. THIS IS NOT A MESSAGE BOARD. Also note that daily newspaper coverage is here. Blog: Email to Friend | Subscribe | Forum View -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mar 20, 2006 11:35 am New twist in Hutchinson situation | Subscribe Seahawks LT Walter Jones has redone his contract with the team so that his average per year declines beneath the $7 million average offered to LG Steve Hutchinson by the Vikings. Some of you have asked recently if I thought that would happen. I said I did not think it would. I was wrong. My understanding is that Jones added one year to his deal at a base salary of $1 million. This extra year will void in the end, but for now it lowers the average. The team then converted his 2006 roster bonus ($2 million) to signing bonus. That affects his cap number this year and lowers the average. I'm also told that the special master intends to make a ruling by this afternoon, and that the issue being debated is a little different than we thought. The disputed clause in the Hutchinson offer sheet would guarantee the full $49 million contract if Hutchinson were not the highest-paid offensive lineman on his team in 2006. The question, in light of Jones redoing his deal, is whether Hutchinson had to be the highest-paid guy for every day of the league year (Jones would have been paid more for part of this year, up until he reworked his deal). Hope that helps. This is a developing story. Loose ends must be tied up. Information must be confirmed. Stay tuned. Posted by mikesando Mar 20, 2006 11:35 am Not good folks
interesting. I'd still ahve to believe that they would rather have a DE than a LB to go along with hutchinson, tho.
great post As we all know, if they sign Hutch, it straps them financially to the point where it is highly unlikely that they will be able to pay Abe $18M up front. We should all be rooting that the arbitrator rules in Minnesota?s favor.
