By Scott M. Johnson
Herald Writer
KIRKLAND – While Trent Dilfer might be the Seattle Seahawks’ most visible free agent, the most important is left tackle Walter Jones. The 27-year-old Jones said Tuesday that he wants to remain in Seattle.
“I’ve been with the Seahawks for five years, and I don’t want to go anywhere else,” the 1997 first-round draft choice said. “I just want to see what the Seahawks will do for me. Hopefully things will work out where I will still be a Seahawk next year.”
Jones, one of two Seattle players who will be at the Pro Bowl next month, could command the highest contract in Seahawks history. The Baltimore Ravens signed their Pro Bowl left tackle, Jonathan Ogden, to a six-year, $44 million extension last summer.
Jones’ counterpart on the other side of Seattle’s offensive line is also up for free agency, and the timing couldn’t have been better.
Through his first three NFL seasons, Todd Weiner started only seven games due to a myriad of injuries and other circumstances. In 2001, he got a chance to start 13 games at right tackle – just in time to test the free agent market this offseason.
“You’re stepping into the unknown now,” the 26-year-old Weiner said. “Of course I want to be back here, but you don’t know how it’s all going to work. Not all of it’s up to me. My wife and I were talking about it. We love Seattle, and we want to be back, but it’s tough.”
Weiner, Jones and Dilfer are among a number of Seahawks who could be available to sign with other teams when free agency opens March 1. The other unrestricted free agents include running backs Ricky Watters and Mack Strong, tight end Christian Fauria and wide receiver Bobby Engram.
Coach Mike Holmgren hasn’t severed ties with any of the free agents, but he appears ready to let Watters go.
“He’s free to entertain offers from other teams,” Holmgren said Tuesday. “We haven’t had the staff meeting with our personnel people yet about how we’re going to approach some of those free agents. My thing is, it’s probably time for Shaun (Alexander) to carry the ball.”
Defensive end Michael Sinclair could be released because of a lack of production this season, but that would mean taking a salary-cap hit, as he is signed through the 2005 season.
Holmgren said Seattle’s salary cap situation will have more room this offseason than it did in 2000, when the team signed off on nearly $50 million worth of contracts to six veteran free agents.
Close … but no cigar: The general impression of the 2001 Seahawks season was that the team made the necessary improvements but didn’t quite reach its goal.
Despite a 9-7 record, Seattle missed out on the postseason for the 12th time in the past 13 seasons.
“It’s disappointing,” linebacker Levon Kirkland said while cleaning out his locker, “but we should have taken care of our business earlier. Sometimes you have to go through a learning stage. I think this team is one of those teams that had to learn a lot at first before we kind of came together. You wish we would have learned it earlier, because it was kind of a roller coaster season, but I think we finished up well. We’ve got some momentum for next year.
“We wanted to get into the playoffs, but it wasn’t our time. We’ll get there next year and make some noise.”
Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck was also looking toward the 2002 season.
“In some ways, this might be good for us in the long run,” he said. “We all have this real bad taste in our mouths going into the offseason.”
Holmgren compared the Seahawks’ season to the Big Dipper, a roller coaster in Santa Cruz, Calif., that is just a few miles from his summer home.
“We had our chances,” he said. “You could see the door open, but you couldn’t quite grab it.”
Quick slants: While five of his former assistants are in the postseason, Holmgren’s final duty will be to coach in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala., on Jan. 26. Washington’s Marty Schottenheimer is slated to serve as head coach on the opposing sideline. Former Holmgren assistants Jon Gruden (Oakland), Steve Mariucci (San Francisco), Mike Sherman (Green Bay), Andy Reid (Philadelphia) and Dick Jauron (Chicago) will coach their teams in the upcoming playoffs. … The Seahawks hold the 20th pick in the first round of the April NFL draft. … Seattle’s final two 2002 opponents will be Atlanta (away) and Minnesota (home). The other 14 opponents were released last summer. The dates of games won’t be announced until April. … While the Seahawks have released their NFC West schedule and have given updates on their new downtown stadium, the 2002 uniforms have yet to be unveiled.
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