Was Wahle Worth the Hassle?

by: Michael Steffes

One of the biggest stories of last offseason was the Seahawks' signing of Mike Wahle. He was supposed to be the savior of the line problems. Instead, he was flagged for several back-breaking penalties in crucial moments. Despite this, the coaching staff still maintained he graded out as one of the top linemen, and this may be true. However, he is not missed in Carolina, and with their success they are no longer biting their tongues.

Check out this article I found in the Gaston Gazette about how scooping up Carolina's scraps hasn't helped other teams.

Two 2008 Seahawks make the list: Keary Colbert and Mike Wahle.

TO CONTINUE....

Thankfully, it wasn't the Hawks who handed out a big bonus to Keary Colbert, as the reporter who covers the Panthers notes that "Panthers fans knew for years - the guy has no desire." The Hawks found that out pretty quick as well, which is why they scrapped him before the price for his services became more expensive.

The more interesting of the blurbs is what is written about Mike Wahle:

Misperceived as a locker room leader, several players have since privately said Wahle was more of a cancer than anything else and they were glad to see him go. A few days after his release he wound up signing with Seattle, but Steve Hutchinson he's not. The Seahawks floundered in '08, finishing 28th in the league in offense. Wahle started 10 games before he suffered a shoulder injury.

A locker room cancer? That was something that wasn't sold to Hawks fans upon his arrival. Now, maybe he just didn't get along with his Panther teammates. Maybe he is not the trouble they make him sound to be these days. However, it is worrisome to see something in print like this, especially when the line seemed to excel with Wahle on IR. What the Hawks wanted was a guard with a nasty streak; what they got was a guard with a nasty habit of big penalties. It would be nice to hear how he is perceived by his teammates here.

Before you ask, cutting him actually saves the Hawks money. They could save 1.1 million by handing him his release. They would have 2.8 million in dead space, though.

If it were up to me, I would hand a former first rounder his spot, a spot Chris Spencer showed promise in as a rookie. Let's find out if he is a keeper, considering his rookie contract is entering its final year. Besides, this is the deepest center class probably ever. Plus, there is this guy. He would look a lot like the ghost of Robbie Tobeck in Seahawks blue, if you ask me. END