Russell Okung going to Free Agency next Year?

[NorthHawk]

It seems he is going to test the market - without an agent.
That's what I read from his article.
I hope one of the Draft Picks this year can play LT at an NFL level and it makes a mobile QB like Wilson that much more important.

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/russel ... in-sports/

[RiverDog]

Unless you're well acquainted with business contracts, it's pretty silly to go without an agent nowadays, although I do remember that Steve Largent never hired an agent. What is it they say about a person that represents himself has a fool for a client?

It will be interesting to see how Okung performs in his contract year. There's a lot at stake for him, financially speaking. Given his injury history, I doubt that we'll make a big attempt to resign him as he's undoubtedly going to be very expensive.

[HumanCockroach]

Him and 29 other current Hawks, hopefully that number diminishes some...

[obiken]

RO is gone next year, replacing him will be the defining moment of the PC era up till now.

[monkey]

He may be gone, on the other hand, now that they've signed everyone, they could use the franchise yeah on him if they want. Unlikely but not completely out of the question

[HumanCockroach]

Using the transition franchise would be a smart move with Okung, allow him to test the market, find his value, and either keep him at that cost, or essentially trade an oft injured LT for two number ones.

[jshawaii22]

RO is gone next year, replacing him will be the defining moment of the PC era up till now.

Maybe they will hold on their 1st round pick this coming year and pick a new one. Hard to find a decent LT after the first round.

JS doesn't like first round picks as they cost a bundle of more salary cap down the line, but for a LT, you really have no choice.

[obiken]

Too many injuries. He's gone. Moreover, IF we lose him or one of the core players to a torn ACL, its over. I agree with their pay the core players strategy, but there is a risk. Course training camp is such a joke compared to the old days maybe we'll be ok. Imagine Lambert running around in shorts and pads?? Wow!

[Zorn76]

Okung will be gone, imo.
I doubt very much they use the FT on him, either, since that would mean top 5 money for his position, and he simply isn't worth it given his injury history as it is.

[NorthHawk]

I heard on NFL Radio this morning that they expect Okung to walk into the negotiations with Trent Williams contract and use it as the basis of a contract for him.
In that event, I, too doubt our FO will step up to try to get things done. I just don't see us paying that much money to one player on the OL, but I think other teams probably would.

The other comment was he is representing himself and that it's a bad move for a veteran as teams will point out all of the players faults during the discussions and hard feelings then occur.
That often leads to bad relations between the player and team.
They also thought that's where an agent helps as they won't pass on those conversations and the 3% that the agent gets is tax deductible, so it really only turns out to be about 1.5%.

[savvyman]

Yes I thought the same when I saw Trent Williams signed the other day - in Russell's mind he and Trent are inter-twined as WIlliams was selected just ahead of him. He will be asking for baseline WIlliams money.

And therefore he will be gone after this season.

Seahawks FO is too smart to pay an above average - good Player at an elite player contract amount - which is what so many dumb desperate and poorly ran FO of other teams do again and again.

[Seahawks4Ever]

I have never been that impressed with Okung. True, he had HUGE SHOES to fill but he has only been adequate. First it was his glass ankles, now he has a problem with his shoulder, how long is that going to drag along? To this day he is still getting called for False Starts a couple of times a game, every game and it isn't false starts it holding calls away from the play. I mean, the guy has been a one man Drive Killer. Between him and the departed J.C. they have turned my hair grey and what didn't turn grey fell out.

We say this every year, the next draft the F/O needs to replenish the O-Line. They need to get a REAL replacement for Walter Jones, not just a "wanna be".

Hind sight is 20/20 but did we have to give up Unger for Graham?? Couldn't it have been Okung and Lapew???

[RiverDog]

The other comment was he is representing himself and that it's a bad move for a veteran as teams will point out all of the players faults during the discussions and hard feelings then occur. That often leads to bad relations between the player and team.

That's a very good reason not to represent yourself. It would be like a doctor trying to perform surgery on his own child. It's pretty hard to compartmentalize your emotions so as not to have an adverse effect on the task at hand. A good agent will filter out the inflammatory comments that are sure to occur in every discussion.