Seahawks: LT Walter Jones agrees to seven-year deal

[Kensat30]

Is it just me or do other people see this as a bad development for the left side of Seattle's line?

Walter Jones hasn't endured training camp in several years. He just signed the lucractive long-term contract of his career, something all NFL players are striving to achieve throughout their careers. Why would this guy's play go anywhere but downhill from this point in time? He's gonna be working harder than ever before the season even starts and he essentially has nothing left to play for except dim hopes of winning a Superbowl in Seattle.

Is a Walter Jones signed longterm as productive as franchise tagged Walter Jones? At least if you perenially tag a guy, he knows that he is working for a new contract after every single season. It's essentially putting your best player in a contract year every year.

I would rather the Hawks have signed Hasselbeck's contract and tagged Jones. Alexander will probably be let go no matter what happens, unless they decide to franchise tag him. I just don't think Seattle can afford to keep SA no matter how productive he has been because of their cap difficulties.... Tag and trade perhaps, hopefully there is a GM in the league that thinks SA has top3 talent.... I wouldn't give up a first round pick for him, that's for sure.

[awwchrist]

Several years? It was 3. Let's not blow things out of proportion.

Additionally, every year he maintained an offseason physical regiment so that he knew he'd have leverage during his hold outs AND be ready to contribute once the season started. Every year it was "I'm ready to play, all you gotta do is sign the line". He was never not in shape. There's his work ethic. Even though he knew we weren't budging, he's still putting up iron.

So your idea of running a franchise is to not pay, instead dangle the incentive carrots in front of them for an undetermined amount of time, meanwhile avoiding the supposed complatency of a newly contracted player?

[Kensat30]

Several years? It was 3. Let's not blow things out of proportion.

Additionally, every year he maintained an offseason physical regiment so that he knew he'd have leverage during his hold outs AND be ready to contribute once the season started. Every year it was "I'm ready to play, all you gotta do is sign the line". He was never not in shape. There's his work ethic. Even though he knew we weren't budging, he's still putting up iron.

So your idea of running a franchise is to not pay, instead dangle the incentive carrots in front of them for an undetermined amount of time, meanwhile avoiding the supposed complatency of a newly contracted player?

Three years is several.

It's not that he's out of shape, more or less, it's that he will have to put that much more work in before the season begins. That's an additional 2 or 3 months of football work, not "offseason work" including preseason games.

Additionally, I would think that the guy who turned down multiple long term contract offers, and who finally accepts a long term deal with the team who has franchised him for the past several years, may feel that he has earned his money and not play as hard as the guy who doesn't have any contract in place for next season.

Every year he is tagged as the franchise player, Walter Jones was making 10% more than he made the year before, not just the top5 average of his position. (figure may be wrong but I believe it's 10 or 15%). Why would the guy sign a long term deal other than to show that he's happy with the money he's going to make and to feel secure in his job. What incentive is there for him to play if money is no longer an issue for the next several seasons? Don't tell me the guy who had to be franchised for 3 years running is a "team" player. A guy that's franchised 3 years running is a businessman for hire... I wouldn't be so quick to pay your mercenaries up front, that's all.

[awwchrist]

Well considering we have an erratic QB (what's new), a pair of wide receivers who can't receive, an all-star running back on the way out, an underacheiving defense and a multi-bazillion dollar owner...

we gotta throw our money at someone. Might as well be our 3 time pro bowl left tackle.

So you'd rather sacrifice and all-pro tackle and the continuity of your offensive line in hopes that you might squelch the possible complacency of a big money player?

I wouldn't be so quick to pay your mercenaries up front

We've been throwing money at him for the last 3 years. I don't understand what you mean by quick.