“Fire Sale” Seattle Seahawks slashing prices

Published on September 11, 2010 by Seahawks.Com News (Feed)     

Safety Jordan Babineaux and running back Julius Jones remain with the Seahawks, but each took a paycut to do so.

Both Babineaux and Jones were scheduled to earn about $2.5 million this season. Both will now be paid $1.25 million in 2010 under new contracts. As vested veterans, their contracts will become guaranteed if they’re on the roster in Week 1. They are not signed beyond this season.

Also, tackle Sean Locklear remains on the team despite a report earlier in the week Seattle was trying to trade him and he wasn’t expected to be with the team by the end of the week.

Well, he is, and coach Pete Carroll said Friday the team was happy to have him.

It is at a lesser salary, though. Jason LaCanfora, a reporter for the league’s official Web site and television station reported Locklear had his salary reduced by more than $2 million. He wil still make more than $3 million, but not the $5 million his contract called for. LaCanfora reported Locklear has the possibility of earning some money back through performance incentives.

Locklear will now become a free agent after this season. Locklear, who was re-signed by Seattle in 2008, was seen as a potential candidate as the long-term replacement for Walter Jones at left tackle. The new coaching staff under Pete Carroll concluded he was a right tackle. In fact — even after rookie Russell Okung suffered an ankle injury — Locklear stayed on the right side.

Locklear’s long-term fit became a more prominent question after Seattle traded for Stacy Andrews, who plays the same position Seattle had settled on for Locklear.

Seattle has not parted ways with veterans this offseason — guys like safety Deon Grant and defensive end Patrick Kerney, who retired. It has also restructured several contracts, lessening the 2010 salary and eliminating years on the back end.

Linebacker Leroy Hill was signed for four more seasons and scheduled to make $6 million this season. He will now make $2 million and be a free agent after the season.

Julius Jones had another year remaining on his original contract. He’s now up at the end of the year, too.

Add Locklear to the list.

So while Seattle has undergone a lot of changes on its roster this year with 27 of the 53 players currently on the roster added within the past nine months, expect those changes to continue next season as the Seahawks appear to following Green Bay’s model of fielding one of the younger teams in the league.

Tags: 5 Million, 6 Million, Ankle Injury, coach pete carroll, Contracts, Fire Sale, Free Agent, Jordan Babineaux, Julius Jones, Leroy Hill, Official Web, Patrick Kerney, Performance Incentives, Salary, Sean Locklear, SEATTLE SEAHAWKS, Stacy Andrews, Television Station, Walter Jones, Week 1