Russell Okung And Earl Thomas Should Be In Seattle Seahawks' Camp Soon

The Seattle Seahawks haven’t had a lot of luck getting their first-round picks into camp on time recently, but they shouldn’t have to wait very long for Russell Okung and Earl Thomas to show up.

Trent Williams and Eric Berry, the No. 4 and No. 5 picks, agreed to contracts today that pretty much set the standard for Okung, who was the sixth pick overall by Seattle.

The Seahawks have to like the Williams deal, which reportedly guarantees $36.75 million in a six-year deal worth $60 million. The guaranteed money is only eight percent more than the Seahawks gave Aaron Curry, the No. 4 pick in 2009. That’s quite a flattened raise, considering last year’s top 10 were getting boosts of anywhere from 17 percent to 25 percent in guaranteed money.

Berry received $34 million guaranteed in a six-year, $60 million contract. That’s the same deal Curry got last year, averaging $5.67 million guaranteed per year.

That means Okung figures to get less guaranteed money than we projected two months ago , when we said his deal would guarantee anywhere from $5.8 million to $6.5 million a year.

With the Williams and Berry contracts, Okung seems locked in at between $5.3 million and $5.6 million per year―or somewhere between $31 million and $34 million over six years.

Thomas, who was drafted 14th overall, has a benchmark to work from as well, now that No. 13 pick Brandon Graham has signed with Philadelphia. Terms of Graham’s deal are not yet known, but Thomas figures to get something like $12 million guaranteed in a five-year contract worth between $20 million and $23 million.

Bottom line: Okung and Thomas should be in camp this weekend.

The addition of Chester Pitts is a nice little coup for the Seahawks. Although the 31-year-old guard is coming off microfracture surgery, he provides some reassuring veteran insurance in the interior of a line that was pretty thin.

If Pitts is healthy, it’s easy to see a three-man weave competition among Pitts, Chris Spencer and Max Unger at center and right guard.

Once the Seahawks realize how bad Spencer is―or once Spencer gets hurt―Unger can move back to center and Pitts can play right guard.

Assuming Pitts is healthy, he at least provides excellent depth behind left guard Ben Hamilton and Unger.

With Okung, Hamilton and Pitts all incoming, the line looks better than it has in two years.

To find out why Pete Carroll is better prepared to make the jump from college to the NFL than Dennis Erickson was, go Outside The Press Box .