Okung is going to San Diego.. Bummer I think.

[politicalfootball]

Yep got it off my cable TV so no link. I really believed we had the inside track on my man Okung. Oh well we still have Beno the big Russian.

[RiverDog]

No tears here. The Chargers just got hosed.

[obiken]

No tears here. The Chargers just got hosed.

I dont agree, but I dont think he is near the player he was 4 years ago.

[RiverDog]

As I see it, they gave him 13 mill a year. What? I realize that left tackles are rare as hen's teeth, but that's over the top. Our situation with Joekel is much nicer, with a player with great potential (2d pick?) that Cable can use to prove that he is a great OL coach, and not much financial risk (does he have to make the team, for instance?).

It is not just the Seahawks, the whole league has a terrible time identifying who can play offensive line. When the first two picks are OL, and both struggle (Fisher and Joekel (I have a feeling I am misspelling his name), it gives you pause.

It surprises me that the Seahawks are being active early in the free agent period. It seems to me that in the recent past they would wait to see who was still unsigned late in the process and then sign the cheap ones. Webb and Sowell being the most recent examples I can recall. This is a new aggressiveness that to me seems welcome. You have some needs, you have a little capital, go for it. But, don't be wrong. I will be waiting.

That contract that Okung got was pure insanity. Nothing Okung's done, including his one Pro Bowl season 5 years ago, justifies a 4 year, $53M/$25M guaranteed contract. That's why I said that the Chargers got hosed. Joeckel's one year "prove it" deal at $8M is far more reasonable. Joeckel was once the #2 overall pick, so that alone tells you that his ceiling is pretty darn high, and at 25 years old, he's still relatively young.

Okung's contract is an indication of two things: The need that teams have for offensive linemen is such that a club like the Chargers would throw that kind of money on a very marginal player, and the lack of OL depth in this year's draft. I think that those two facts explain why the Hawks are being so aggressive early on in free agency. You snooze, you lose.

[NorthHawk]

I'm wondering if maybe in the long run this will mean the price for OL will jump significantly and encourage better athletes at the College level to play there.
It's kind of like the market forces evening things out, but it will take some time.

[politicalfootball]

Thanks guys for the heads up on Okung I just thought he was a good match for us.

Can you please tell me more about Jokel ?
Or start a dialogue thread about this.

[c_hawkbob]

There already is a Joeckel thread, meanwhile here's a pretty balanced synopsis. http://www.seattlepi.com/sports/footbal ... 992425.php

[obiken]

That contract that Okung got was pure insanity. Nothing Okung's done, including his one Pro Bowl season 5 years ago, justifies a 4 year, $53M/$25M guaranteed contract. That's why I said that the Chargers got hosed. Joeckel's one year "prove it" deal at $8M is far more reasonable. Joeckel was once the #2 overall pick, so that alone tells you that his ceiling is pretty darn high, and at 25 years old, he's still relatively young.

Okung's contract is an indication of two things: The need that teams have for offensive linemen is such that a club like the Chargers would throw that kind of money on a very marginal player, and the lack of OL depth in this year's draft. I think that those two facts explain why the Hawks are being so aggressive early on in free agency. You snooze, you lose.

Wow, that's a boatload! Sorry Riv, I stand corrected I just "assumed" it was the same contract as last year with the Broncos.

[NorthHawk]

It seems that these prices for today's Offensive Linemen is what the market will bear. If there were a lot of good OL coming from the college ranks these days the prices wouldn't be so high.
We should have seen it coming considering for a few years now we've been saying there aren't a lot of good new OL to replace those that are retiring.

[Seahawks4Ever]

Does anyone even know if Okung really got paid what he claims? Or, is this like when he signed with the Broncos and claimed he was getting all of these "millions" and all he got was a basic 4 mil. "prove it" contract. Unless the Chargers brain trust are in love with Okung why would they offer him too much more than the Broncos were willing to pay.

What must really suck to Okung is that he probably would have been paid more "real" money if he would have just re-signed here.

[NorthHawk]

My understanding is the report of his contract details is legit.

[mykc14]

Does anyone even know if Okung really got paid what he claims? Or, is this like when he signed with the Broncos and claimed he was getting all of these "millions" and all he got was a basic 4 mil. "prove it" contract. Unless the Chargers brain trust are in love with Okung why would they offer him too much more than the Broncos were willing to pay.

What must really suck to Okung is that he probably would have been paid more "real" money if he would have just re-signed here.

It's legit. He has $25 mil guaranteed. The chargers can get out of it after year 2 and it would 'only' cost them 5 mil in dead money, but he will get $25 mil in those 2 years.

[Zorn76]

I guess Okung decided to get himself a good agent, since they made out like Bandits on this one, even if Chargers get out of it a couple years in.