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Haven’t the Seattle Seahawks given themselves enough self-inflicted headaches over the past several years?
Veteran left tackle Duane Brown is the single-most important piece of Seattle’s offensive line, and key to Russell Wilson‘s future with the organization. However, the latest NFL rumors out of the Emerald City suggest the Seahawks aren’t even entertaining Brown’s current wishes.
Bob Condota of The Seattle Times reported the following about Brown’s contract situation: “Sources have said the team is not in active negotiations with Brown, having told Brown they want to keep him but want to get through the 2021 season before addressing his contract situation.”
Yikes. Good luck not irking Wilson if that’s the way you’re going to play it, Seahawks.
Can you really blame Brown for wanting to secure one last payday, instead of treading into the uncertainty of free agency after this season? It’s not like he hasn’t earned it, and Seattle’s brass needs to realize that.
Why Seattle Seahawks’ Duane Brown strategy is antiquated and misguided
You can’t argue with the success head coach Pete Carroll has had in Seattle, yet there’s a sinking feeling that he’s left a lot on the table. That’s because Carroll has long refused to evolve the offense around Wilson during his prime, instead insistent upon leaning more toward the running game.
Wilson was a little fed up this offseason, and it got to the point where he was in real jeopardy of being traded. Although the relationship between coach and QB seems to be mended for now, failing to appease Wilson’s blindside protector is a recipe for disaster.
The Seahawks have frequently struggled to protect Wilson throughout his career. Their move to get Brown has been a huge success thus far, but now they’re in danger of alienating him.
Yes, the huge extension for Jamal Adams is in the pipeline. DK Metcalf has to get paid at some point. So what? In order to keep up in the NFC West division, Seattle needs to figure out how to make it work with Brown.
Concerning though his age may be — he turns 36 later this month — Brown is coming off a 2020 campaign in which he was ranked No. 5-graded offensive tackle by Pro Football Focus. He’s still in fantastic form, and look no further than Seattle’s rival, the Los Angeles Rams, who employ 39-year-old left tackle Andrew Whitworth.
In other words, age isn’t really as much of a red flag as it used to be. Brown is entering the final year of his contract and is a little longer in the tooth than most offensive lineman. There’s no indication his play is going to drop off, though, and other than four missed games in 2019, he hasn’t missed a start in Seattle across two other seasons.
Who would’ve thought a quarterback could lead a team to a Super Bowl at age 43? Tom Brady did that with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and is showing what’s possible if players take care of themselves and fully capitalize on modern training and dieting.
Instead of worrying about what’s happening three years from now, the Seahawks just need to reward Brown for his play to date, which will help avoid a potentially ugly situation with Wilson in 2022 in which he could officially request a trade.
Go all-in, Seattle. Everyone else in the NFC West is, and you can bet Wilson will be willing to accommodate any big-time moves by making his contract more salary cap-friendly if it means a shot at a second Super Bowl.
See how far we have the Seahawks going in our NFL playoff predictions