After the news conference to announce Trufant's six-year, $50.2 million contract, the club president said the money basically was accounted for: $3-$4 million for the rookie pool that will be needed to sign the draft choices and college free agents; $2 million for an injury-protection fund to sign players when others are lost for the season; and signing a veteran kicker.This seems to be very telling. It had been assumed and speculated by many that the savings the club would get from designating Shaun Alexander a June 1st cut would be used to sign the rookies and as emergency for the season. Well, Ruskell has allocated the Trufant savings for that. With no major targets left on the free agent market, it would seem the team won't do anything except add a kicker till after the draft.
So it would appear that the team doesn't need to cut Shaun to save money. Will they still cut him? I think so, and probably shortly. It appears though that the team will take the 125K hit this year and avoid any dead money. I must say, in a year where it looked like the team was in a bad spot, they managed to get a lot done. It is possible depending on how the draft goes that they will clear even more space, much like last year when after drafting Josh Wilson, the team cut Kelly Herndon. Players like Jason Babin, and even Mike Green are possible subtractions if replacements are drafted.
This team has worked its way out of the toughest spot it has been in financially, in the Tim Ruskell era. If they get a few more years out of Kerney and Grant, we may look back at 2008 as the teams best offseason. END
Check out this rumor from SI.com: The Dolphins are interested in Brian Brohm:
ReplyDelete"The Dolphins -- who were scheduled to work out Michigan quarterback Chad Henne on Tuesday, have inquired about scheduling a private session with Louisville's Brian Brohm, who also could be available at pick No. 32."
Yea he might be available at 32, but he surely will be at 25. What if we were to do what the Cowboys did last year and trade the Dolphins our first this year for theirs next year? It will likely be a top 5 pick. For a team like the Hawks that doesn't have huge needs this could make a lot of sense. The only way I'd really be against it is if Mendenhall or Stewart fell to us.
http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/44551
I'm always up for extra picks!
ReplyDeleteThis has been a great off-season thus far!
bk
I think you are right on Wes. Not only that, but my guess is that more teams than just Miami would be interested, which is key. It is the Hawks job to convince people that 25 is the spot to get him, not any earlier, not any later.
ReplyDeleteAnd then, after Miami finishes 3-13 they "win" the coin toss with SF and the Sheep and score the #1 pick over-all, which belongs to the Seattle Seahawks who select, Michael Oher, LT, Ole Miss..
ReplyDeleteit came to me in a vision!
I am reading the book about him right now SSCG. Are you familar with it?
ReplyDeleteIt is called "The Blindside", by Michael Lewis, the man who wrote "Moneyball"
Trading that pick for extra second rounders could be a possibility (one this year and one next, perhaps?) too. Then, we could appropriately slot our TE and RB/DT/DE of the future with this years' two 2nd round picks.
ReplyDeleteI think we are too low this year to get someone's 1st next year. Dallas thought Cleveland's 1st would bring a top 5 selection this year...Oooops! It's in the 20's.
I agree Ruskell has put on a show this off season, I think he could teach most financial planners a thing or two about a thing or two.
ReplyDeleteGreat leverage on Ruskell's part signing Lofa long term and making Tru feel like a greedy bastard, you know that caused him to tell his agent to chill out.
SanDiegoHawksFan
Yes, very good off-season for Timmy!
ReplyDeletebk
Yep, certainly did read it, an astounding story..
ReplyDeleteAnd he seems like the kind of kid TR would just love to draft...
Sounds like they want to address kicker in free agency. If that's the case then I think Mare is ours.
ReplyDeleteMare was actually pretty solid at kickoffs, but had some accuracy problems for FG's. He's not as good as Josh Brown (obviously), but he's a good candidate to bounce back and be at least average in 2008.
Besides that, screw kickers! I want Touchdowns!!!!
That's what I'm talkin' about. Surely Mare can make XPs...
ReplyDeleteGood point, forget about the kicker, plackemeier could make extra points...imagine what kind of statement that would make about the Hawks if they didn't even get a placekicker; we're not going to settle for 3 points...
ReplyDelete-Griffin
Mare it is..... for now. Luckily, we won't really need him. I'll bet we get him cheap too. Add a rookie, and we should be safe for present and future.
ReplyDeleteShaun stays! Shaun stays! Shaun stays! I can't wait to holla at y'all when he runs for 1,500 yards and 16 TDs this year -- for the Seahawks!
ReplyDelete- Hulk
Shaun stays! Shaun stays! Shaun stays! I can't wait to holla at y'all when he runs for 1,500 yards and 16 TDs this year -- for the Seahawks!
ReplyDelete- Hulk
Hulk, I like your optimism! I'd love to see it, but it wouldnt make much sense to have so much money on the roster devoted to one position. Still, like I been saying, if they keep alexander and he does well, hawks can get something for him in trade.
ReplyDelete-SlaveToTheBusinessman
I have said it all along, Shawn will be a hawk this year. Taking a financial perspective on football is fun but the Seahawks are not Dell Corp. or General Motors. We all know that an NFL franchise doesn't show any real profit until it is sold and typically if a franchise is sold than something is wrong. Our Product is winning and our share holders drink beer and sometimes cheer so loud that they do lasting damage to their bodies.
ReplyDeleteJones and Duckett are Mora's guys but this is still Holmgren's team and he didn't put off retirement for another year because he is a nice guy who wanted to help rebuild. Holmgren wants a ring THIS YEAR and he knows what he will get with Shawn. Let's not forget that Shawn was injured the last two years and he is only 30. Excluding the Seahawk balance sheet, there is nothing but upside in keeping Shawn.
Tell that to Ruskell, Shauns Arch-Enemy, Anonymous.
ReplyDelete