Seahawks on verge of deal with running back Julius Jones

Published 11:47 pm Friday, March 7, 2008

And you thought the Seattle Seahawks were kidding when they said they planned on upgrading their running game.

For the second time this week, the Seahawks are on the verge of adding a new running back, having reached an agreement with former Dallas Cowboys back Julius Jones, according to several reports.

Earlier this week, the Seahawks signed power back T.J. Duckett, addressing their problems in the short-yardage game.

Now, they will add Jones, who will get a four-year contract worth nearly $12 million, according to ESPN.com, that should allow him to compete for the starting tailback job, depending on what happens with Shaun Alexander.

Alexander, the 2005 league MVP, has become a stickpin for speculation.

The Seahawks’ latest acquisition only heightens the likelihood that Alexander eventually will be released, despite general manager Tim Ruskell saying recently that he was going to be a part of the Seahawks’ 2009 campaign.

Besides making the backfield crowded, the signing of Jones also gives the Seahawks even less room under the salary cap to operate as the April 26-27 NFL draft approaches. Financially, the Seahawks do not have to release Alexander to sign Jones, though.

One option is to retain Alexander and allow him and Jones to battle in training camp for the starting spot.

But the more likely scenario is for the Seahawks to designate Alexander a post-June 1 cut and save themselves more than $4 million under the salary cap.

The agents for Jones and Alexander did not return phone calls on Friday.

Alexander is scheduled to earn $4.475 million in 2008. He counts $6.775 million against the cap because of his signing bonus. If he is waived before June 1, he will count $6.9 million against the cap because the remaining bonus money he is owed is rolled forward to 2008.

But under the rules of the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, if he is designated a post-June 1 cut, only $2.3 million counts against the 2008 cap and the remaining $4.3 million will be delayed until 2009, allowing the Seahawks to use that portion to sign players this year.

Last week, Ruskell said he had no plans to release Alexander.

“He has been a great player for the Seahawks for a long time and one of Mike (Holmgren)’s favorites,” Ruskell said. “Shaun has the cast on the wrist (following surgery) and he is in rehab and we want to see how that all comes out. So no talk about (releasing him).”

However, that came before Ruskell added Duckett and Jones to join a running game that has been made over with the additions of line coach Mike Solari and offensive guard Mike Wahle.

The Seahawks also are expected to draft the running back of the future in April, either Rashard Mendenhall or Jonathan Stewart in the first round or another back in a later round.

Jones was considered the second-best running back on the free agent market behind Michael Turner, who left San Diego and signed with Atlanta.

He is very similar to Alexander’s backup, Maurice Morris, though he did gain 1,084 yards in 2006 and 993 yards in 2005.

That was before Marion Barber became the featured back in Dallas, relegating Jones to a backup who gained only 588 yards last season, less than Morris.

Jones, who will turn 27 during training camp, was intent on signing somewhere he could be a starter. He joined a Seahawks running game that was so anemic that Holmgren switched primarily to a passing game in the middle of the season.

Jones, the Cowboys’ second-round pick in 2004, also visited Tennessee and Detroit, where Duckett played last season.

Ultimately, he chose Seattle, which now has six running backs and the draft yet looming.