Seattle Seahawks Free Agency Rumors: What to Believe & What to Dismiss

The Seattle Seahawks, like all NFL franchises, have a number of rumors swirling through the headlines this offseason. Some of them could end up as topping for their talented young roster, helping the team return to the playoffs in 2012.

Most of the rumors, though, will simply get flushed.

I've scoured through many of the rumor mills and have come up with a list of some of my favorites. Please share your thoughts and share any additional stories you'd like to discuss below.

Later this week, I'll be posting a complete free agency and draft review. Some of the following will certainly roll into that article.

Rumor: Seattle's New Uniforms Are Going the Way of the Duck

DISMISS: Seattle's uniforms won't have the flair and oddities of the Oregon Ducks.

It is well established that the Seattle Seahawks will be getting new duds for this upcoming season, as will every NFL team with a transition to Nike. While most will not get a uniform change, the Seahawks and Carolina Panthers are two teams that will.

The new Nike gloves that appeared at the Pro Bowl showed the new-look growling Panther logo. The Seahawk hasn't changed, though, keeping the tougher-looking bird that was part of the 2002 design change.

There is credible information that the helmets will actually get a bit darker. Some fans wanted to go back to the silver design from the club's first 25 seasons. There has also been discussion that they'll have some of the "feather" look that was unveiled in the new Oregon helmets the team wore in the Rose Bowl.

Little else is known about the design changes.

The new uniforms will be unveiled in early April. They will be different, but they won't have numerous designs or the outlandish graphics that have made an appearance on several college uniforms.

The NFL only allows three uniforms—one for home, one for away and an alternate jersey that can be worn once in the season. More importantly, the NFL is all about marketing. Uniforms are designed to be appealing to fans with $125 to spend on the latest designs. 

College uniforms tend to be more about recruitment, and in Oregon's situation, the funds Nike provides to the school give them a fair amount of creative license. They won't have the same flexibility with Roger Goodell.

Rumor: Marshawn Lynch Will Be the Most Sought-After Free Agent RB

DISMISS: Despite the articles and conjecture, Marshawn Lynch will not be a high-demand free agent.

There has been a lot of buzz surrounding Lynch in the last year. He started 2011 with an amazing game-clinching run against the New Orleans Saints. While he was a bit quiet in the first half of the 2011 season, he more than made up for it with the best second-half performance of any running back in the NFL.

Lynch was rewarded with a trip to Hawaii to play in the not-so-Pro-Bowl of 2012, as the contest was mired by soft play. Perhaps they will simply resort to using flags next season. But I've digressed.

Draft analysts have listed Lynch as the best running back that will be available when free agency begins. Bleacher Report articles have listed potential landing spots in Green Bay, Cincinnati, Tennessee and others.

However, none of these teams will be pursuing Lynch, because he won't be available. Head coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider targeted Lynch as the back they wanted to build their offense around and pursued him for months. Eventually the Buffalo Bills agreed to send him to Seattle and received two fifth-round draft picks in return.

Seattle and Lynch's agents have been working on a new contract, and the Seahawks prefer a long-term deal over the franchise tag.

While the sides might not reach agreement on a long-term contract prior to early-March, all that stands in the way of keeping him in Seattle is a $7.6 million franchise tag. In fact, by the time you read this Lynch could have already been franchised by the Seahawks, as teams can begin to designate players on February 20. 

The San Francisco 49ers set the price tag of a running back with Lynch's capabilities by signing Frank Gore to a three-year, $21 million extension prior to last season. The tag amount fits that price quite nicely.

Tim Ruskell is no longer calling the shots in Seattle. There simply is no way the Seahawks will opt to let him reach free agency.

Schneider will either come to terms with Lynch or will exercise the franchise tag and ask Lynch to show he can be a star running back for an entire season.

Rumor: David Hawthorne Is Not Going to Return to Seattle

BELIEVE: The chances are the Seahawks will be out-bid for David Hawthorne's services going forward.

The prevailing belief of the fans is that David Hawthorne is a focal point of the Seahawks defense. He's led the team in tackles in each of the last three seasons, and for that reason he has to return next season.

I take a different view. The defense is designed with the expectation that the middle linebacker will lead the tackle tally. 

It also expects the position to be able to provide support in passing situations, covering tight ends and running backs in passing routes. This has been an issue for Hawthorne, one that Pete Carroll touched on in his offseason press conference. 

Carroll talked about the versatility of K.J. Wright and how he could play the middle spot, but that there would be no reason to move him inside just to move Hawthorne back outside. However, the tone almost suggested that Hawthorne might not be part of the equation going forward, in big part because of his lack of speed.

The Seahawks are likely to draft a linebacker early, perhaps on day one. Wright's versatility allows them to choose from options in the middle or outside.

Re-signing Leroy Hill seems contrary to the highly-discussed youth-movement, but is actually the more likely scenario.

Hill will be cheaper than Hawthorne, and Seattle has options on the roster to supplement his deficiencies in pass protection. Hill doesn't have a lot of years left, but he'll have enough to allow the Seahawks to work on finding his replacement late in the 2012 draft or in 2013.

Another player that caught the attention of the Seahawks and their fans is Larry Grant. He filled in for Patrick Willis when he was injured and had a big game when the San Francisco 49ers won in Seattle.

Rumor: Kyle Orton Will Be the Seahawks Quarterback Next Season

DISMISS: Kyle Orton will not be pursued as a free agent option for the Seahawks.

To be fair, I'm just as guilty here as those that say Seattle will sign Orton. I haven't spoken to Carroll, Schneider, Darrell Bevell or Tom Cable about their plans at the position.

However, it is very unlikely that Orton figures into the Seahawks plans.

During the 2011 season, Tarvaris Jackson was struggling with a pectoral injury. Charlie Whitehurst was given a chance to step in as the starter, something the fans had been clamoring for, and withered under the opportunity.

When Orton was released by the Denver Broncos, Seattle was primed to make a waiver claim on him and end the Whitehurst experiment. Obviously, they opted against it.

The argument can be made that they didn't see Orton as an option because he wasn't familiar with the offense. The same could have been said about Whitehurst, though. 

If Seattle had an interest in Orton for the 2012 season and beyond, they likely would have jumped at the opportunity to add him mid-season in 2011. It would have given them an opportunity to kick the tires and take him for a test-drive prior to dedicating a roster spot to him in 2012.

They didn't, and Orton will not be pursued during the offseason, either.

The Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys were the other teams that placed waiver claims and might be interested in adding him as depth this offseason. Opportunities to compete for starting roles will be sparse, though.

Rumor: Seahawks Still in the Mix for Matt Flynn

BELIEVE: If the Seahawks aren't confident in Manning's abilities, or are unable to land him, Flynn is still likely their next best option in free agency.

Bleacher Report has linked Flynn as the possible future quarterback for Seattle going back to the 2011 draft. GM John Schneider is quite familiar with his potential, as he was part of the draft team that wanted to take Flynn even though he didn't fill a real need.

Some will point to his final game in Green Bay and claim that is where he became a free-agent option. The Seahawks can point to that game and talk about how it likely cost them $15+ million in salary cap room over four seasons.

There is a building assumption that the Dolphins will land Flynn after hiring Joe Philbin, his offensive coordinator in Greed Bay. However, there are several teams that are interested in Flynn's potential.

The Seahawks will be in the mix as long as they choose to be. They have a lot of salary cap room and can afford to sign several high-priced free agents in 2012. If they liked Flynn before his record-setting day against the Detroit Lions, they should really like him now.

Rumor: Seattle HAS to Draft a Certain Player or Position in April

DISMISS: Seattle has several needs to fill, but none of them are tied to any one position or player.

There are many articles floating the concept that a certain linebacker is a must-sign, or that Seattle needs to use a first-round pick on "insert favorite QB prospect here."

While many of them are very well done, Seattle's front office isn't reactionary, nor are they desperate. Their goal is to build a dynasty, not a team that will compete for a few seasons at the expense of future drafts.

The closest I can come to a "must" move in the draft is finding a fast linebacker to start a long-term playing relationship with K.J. Wright. The 2011 rookie played very well in a one-game stint in the middle, covering for the pending free agent David Hawthorne. 

In fact, Seattle's coaching staff was so impressed with Wright that it allowed them to part ways with the under-achieving Aaron Curry.

Seattle will need to replenish their linebacker corps in the offseason, as they have five free agents from last year's unit. I see Zach Brown as a great addition, but there are other options.

Rumor: Peyton Manning Is Not Interested in Playing in Seattle

DISMISS: There is reason to believe Seattle is one of Peyton Manning's top choices should he be released by the Indianapolis Colts.

The rationale behind why Seattle is not a potential destination for Manning are as varied as the reasons why Manning is one of the best to ever play the game.

Some cite poor weather, then go on to list a certain destination in the northeast that is colder and wetter than Seattle.

Other rumors are that Seattle isn't big enough and won't bring Manning the media attention he'd get elsewhere. This ignores the essence of Manning's work ethic and not wanting the distractions of always being in the public eye.

Still, other rumors wax on about the woes of the Seahawks offense, and how he wouldn't want to play for a team with such a poor passing game. Pause here for dramatic head-scratch.

Odd as it sounds, Manning's most likely destination is to a team that has a struggling offense due to concerns with the quarterback position. Perhaps that doesn't sound odd at all.

Rumor: Seattle Is a Front-Runner for Peyton Manning's Services

BELIEVE: For every issue raised about Seattle, it could give Manning the best opportunity to win another Championship.

Yes, this slide is very similar to the previous one. However, dismissing Seattle altogether, as Adam Schefter has done, is quite different from naming the Seahawks as the favorite to land him.

Manning's drive and desire to win is well established. He's a fierce competitor and if he is released from the Colts, he'll want nothing more than to prove they made a mistake. Make that a BIG mistake...

Dan Pompei of the National Football Post stated that buzz around the league about Seattle actually being the current front-runner for Manning's services.

Seattle's defense showed remarkable improvement last season, featuring a bevy of young, fast, hard-hitting play-makers. The offense has Pro Bowl talent at four of the skill positions in Sidney Rice, Zach Miller, Michael Robinson and Marshawn Lynch (pending contract negotiations).

They also have a young and gelling offensive line, but Manning hasn't been reliant on pass protection to put up big numbers.

With the talent on Seattle's team outside of the quarterback position, his interest in playing for Pete Carroll is a rumor I can get behind. A healthy Manning would make the Seahawks a serious contender.

If/when Manning is released by the Colts I will publish a full article on Seattle and other logical destinations. But then again, the Colts press release could be immediately followed by Manning naming his new team.