Would Seahawks Have Been Smarter to Match Steve Hutchinson Poison Pill Offer?

Here we are, four full seasons after the Seattle Seahawks got robbed of the best guard in football. Most could attribute this as the starting point to the Seahawks' tailspin into what has now become a 9-23 record over the last two seasons.

Here we are, four full seasons later, and Hutchinson is still, by most accounts, regarded as the top guard in the game today.

This post is not meant to lament what has now become known around the league as arguably the most bone-headed free agent move in recent memory, and by far the dumbest decision in Seahawks history. Rather, it is to pose a question:

Would the Seattle Seahawks have been better off matching Steve Hutchinsons poison pill-laden offer sheet with the Minnesota Vikings?

Indeed, the entire contract would have been guaranteed, which means they would have dolled out an average of $7 million per season for the games' best interior lineman.

Currently, most, if not all teams would pounce at the chance to land Hutchinson at that rate.

With Hutchinson, we would not have signed free agent bust Mike Wahle, and forked over $8 million in salary and bonuses for one year of production. He ultimately retired due to chronic shoulder injuries. He was Ruskells' sad sack attempt to replace a mistake he will be attached to forever.

This is not to say he didn't try to adequately replace him—he put the full court press to get Kris Dielman, another top interior lineman, to join the team. He ultimately turned them down and accepted $10 million less to return to the Chargers.

Then he got cheap again and passed on Alan Faneca, another option who would have actually filled the void, and is currently still regarded as a top guard.

Feel free to sound off, and make sure to check out the poll.