The Seattle Seahawks managed to retain both quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and tailback Shaun Alexander.
The club agreed late Monday night to a six-year, approximately $47 million contract extension with Hasselbeck to keep him off the unrestricted free agent market next week. The deal includes a signing bonus of about $16 million and enabled the Seahawks to use their franchise-player tag on Alexander yesterday to limit his mobility on the free agent market. The deadline for NFL teams to use their franchise tags was yesterday.
Seattle had been facing a potentially difficult choice in deciding whether to use the tag on Hasselbeck or Alexander, but signing Hasselbeck solved that problem. Now the Seahawks should be able to retain all three of their key offensive players -- Hasselbeck, Alexander and left tackle Walter Jones -- who entered the offseason eligible for unrestricted free agency March 2. Seattle signed Jones last week to a seven-year, $52.5 million contract extension that included a $16 million signing bonus. The NFC West champions began the offseason with 16 players eligible for unrestricted free agency.
Alexander, as the franchise player, would have a salary of $6.323 million next season, the average of the salaries of the league's five highest-paid running backs. He will be able to negotiate with other teams, and he could sign an offer sheet with another club if he chooses. But the Seahawks would have the right to retain him by matching the offer sheet, and the right to receive two first-round draft picks from his new team as compensation if they allow him to depart.
Ravens Release K. Johnson
The Baltimore Ravens released wide receiver Kevin Johnson, who was obtained from Jacksonville last spring for a fourth-round draft pick. Johnson caught a career-low 35 passes for 373 yards and a touchdown in 2004. He had averaged 66 receptions in his previous five seasons with Cleveland and Jacksonville. The Ravens had the 31st-ranked passing game in the NFL in 2004 and likely will try to recruit high-profile receivers when the free agent signing period begins March 2.
Franchise Tags
Indianapolis tailback Edgerrin James, Oakland cornerback Charles Woodson, New England place kicker Adam Vinatieri, Jacksonville safety Donovin Darius and San Francisco linebacker Julian Peterson were given their teams' franchise-player tags.
Six players received their clubs' franchise tags last week -- San Diego quarterback Drew Brees, Cincinnati tailback Rudi Johnson, St. Louis left tackle Orlando Pace, Philadelphia defensive tackle Corey Simon and defensive ends John Abraham of the New York Jets and Darren Howard of New Orleans.
Extra Points
Oakland agreed to a contract extension with Jerry Porter to keep the wide receiver off the unrestricted free agent market. . . . New Orleans signed safety Jay Bellamy, another prospective free agent, to a three-year contract extension. . . . Among the players released yesterday were Chicago quarterback Jonathan Quinn, Kansas City defensive end Vonnie Holliday, San Diego wide receiver Tim Dwight and Dallas defensive end Marcellus Wiley. . . .
The Seahawks hired Tim Ruskell, the assistant general manager of Atlanta, as president of football operations. Bob Ferguson resigned as Seattle's general manager. . . . Jets running backs coach Bishop Harris, who had a sideline confrontation with Coach Herman Edwards during the AFC playoffs, left the team to become the 49ers' running backs coach.
