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Seahawks Rumors: Seattle 'Reluctant' to Sign Duane Brown to Contract Beyond 2021
August 26, 2021
Fresh off a resolution to a contract stalemate with Jamal Adams, the Seattle Seahawks remain stuck in a similar situation with left tackle Duane Brown.
That might not end anytime soon—though both sides have reportedly shown willingness to engage in discussion as the season-opener nears.
According to Gregg Bell of The News Tribune, the Seahawks "remain reluctant" to give Brown a new deal that goes beyond 2021. As of Thursday, that means the veteran will enter his age-36 season as an impending free agent.
The four-time Pro Bowler has started all 16 games in seven of his 14 seasons in the NFL between Seattle and the Houston Texans. With the season expanding to 17 weeks this year, Bell noted the Seahawks want to see how Brown holds up before giving him a new deal.
Brown continues to "hold in" by remaining at the team's training facilities but refusing to practice.
NFL Network's Mike Garafolo spoke with Bell about the situation on KJR radio and said Seattle may try to sweeten Brown's current expiring contract as a compromise, bumping up his $10 million base salary by a few million as well as potentially adding more incentives.
Gregg Bell @gbellseattlehe didn't say <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Seahawks?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Seahawks</a> were necessarily going to give Duane Brown a new deal beyond 2021 just yet, maybe a "creative" solution with a short-term "sweetener" or something of the like. Either way, some movement between the team and its all-important LT Russell Wilson wants back
It's an option that comes with a running clock, as Bell explained:
"Brown’s only leverage with the Seahawks is now, before the season begins. He stands to lose $555,556, a proration of his $10 million base salary, in game checks per week if he decided to take his stand into missing regular-season games. That’s not something the Seahawks can drop or wipe away as one of their sweeteners for Brown. Missing game checks for missing games is mandatory, written into the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement with its players."
Part of the equation for Seattle is the fact the team drafted Stone Forsythe in the sixth round as Brown's likely successor. Brown doesn't seem ready to give up his career just yet, however, and he wants the Seahawks to keep him around.
Brown also has the support of quarterback Russell Wilson, which may prove as important as ever with time running out.
“I mean, not having Duane Brown out there is a pretty significant deal,” Wilson said earlier in training camp. “He’s one of the best left tackles in the game. The guy’s—there’s no argument—is as good as it gets. There is nobody more athletic, more talented, than he is... And I think people fear him, to be honest with you, when they are rushing him, playing against him."