Browner bids farewell, signs with Pats
Cornerback thanks Seattle for opportunity
Former Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner signed with the New England Patriots on Friday.
Browner was not expected back with the Seahawks after the emergence of cornerbacks Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond, and with Browner’s midseason suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy for marijuana. He was initially suspended indefinitely, and now will have to miss the first four games of next season. Browner’s deal is reportedly for three years and $17 million.
Browner was an original member of the “Legion of Boom,” and his size and physical style made him popular among fans. But Browner missed time last season, first with injuries and then his suspension. He wasn’t as effective as Maxwell or Thurmond (Thurmond also is a free agent).
Browner released a statement in which he announced his excitement about signing with the Patriots and also thanked Seattle.
“I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the Seattle Seahawks for giving a CFL player the once in-a-lifetime opportunity to return to the NFL, making a young boy’s dream come true,” Browner said.
Rice might return
A source said the Seahawks are interested in bringing back free-agent receiver Sidney Rice, and have been in talks with him.
The Seahawks released Rice at the end of February to get rid of his $8.5 million salary and clear cap space. Rice missed the second half of last season with a torn ACL. But with Golden Tate signing a five-year deal with Detroit, the Seahawks are interested in bringing Rice back under a new, less expensive contract.
Ticket price increase
The Seahawks announced they will increase season-ticket prices for the 2014 season.
According to the Seahawks, the average price will increase from $99 to $111 per game for 70 percent of the season tickets.
The Seahawks sold 62,000 season tickets last season, with a record renewal rate of 98 percent. Approximately 5,000 individual game tickets will be sold, and those are more expensive per game than season tickets, the Seahawks said.
The organization said it has 12,000 paid customers on a waiting list for season tickets and 30,000 unpaid people on a notification list. The team said season-ticket holders will receive information about renewing tickets in the next few days.