Well this one was a little unexpected. Free agent guard Steve Hutchinson, who famously left the Seahawks for Minnesota in 2006, is in Seattle today to visit with his former team.
Hutchinson, was a three-time Pro Bowler in Seattle and a key part of the offensive line that helped carry the Seahawks to a Super Bowl. Following that 2005 season, however, Hutchinson became a free agent and it was widely expected that the Seahawks would use the franchise tag on him. Instead, they used the transition tag, which allowed them to match and offer, but did not provide draft pick compensation if he left, unlike the franchise tag which awards teams a first-round pick as compensation. Hutchinson and the Vikings agreed to a seven year deal worth $49 million, and to discourage the Seahawks from matching the deal, they included a “poison pill” in the contract that stated that Hutchinson would be the highest-paid lineman on the team, or the entire contract would be guaranteed. With Walter Jones already on the team, Hutchinson wasn’t going to be the highest paid lineman on the team, and the Seahawks weren’t willing to guarantee a seven-year contract, and thus, the Seahawks had a rather messy divorce with one of their best players.
Hutchinson continued to dominate in Minnesota, earning Pro Bowl and All Pro honors in each of his first four year there, but age—he’s now 34—and injuries have limited his effectiveness the last two seasons. The Seahawks spent big money on free agent guard Robert Gallery last year, and drafted guard John Moffitt in the third round, so it’s not entirely clear what role Hutchinson would serve. However Gallery did battle injuries off and on, and Moffitt ended the year on injured reserve with a knee injury, so the Seahawks certainly wouldn’t mind adding another quality guard if the price is right.
Despite his awkward departure from Seattle, Hutchinson’s visit isn’t entirely out of the blue. There is a new front office and coaching staff in place from when he was last here, so any hard feelings between either him or the people who lost him shouldn’t really be an issue. Come to think of it, unless Leroy Hill re-signs, there won’t be a single player remaining on Seattle’s roster from Hutchinson’s time here. Furthermore, Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell came from Minnesota where he worked with Hutchinson for five seasons.
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