Seahawks snag a top pass-catcher
KIRKLAND – More than 19 months into his tenure as president of the Seattle Seahawks, Tim Ruskell has proven to be a lot like the franchise’s owner.
While Paul Allen spent years piling up wealth, Ruskell has developed a reputation for stuffing talent into an already-full bag.
Ruskell was at it again Monday, dealing a first-round draft pick in 2007 to the New England Patriots for star wide receiver Deion Branch.
Never mind that the team already has a stockpile at that position that includes Darrell Jackson, Bobby Engram and March addition Nate Burleson. Never mind that Seattle’s offense has been in the top-10 among NFL offenses for four years in a row.
When Ruskell sees available talent, he goes after it.
“It’s just another chance to get a good football player that fits our team and adds to our chemistry,” Ruskell said Monday. “We’re happy with our receivers, we’re happy with our team.
“… I feel good about the team, (coach Mike Holmgren) feels good about the team. This was just a chance to add a player that we think can add another dimension.”
In the past, Ruskell has made similar moves at cornerback (veteran free agents Kelly Herndon and Andre Dyson were signed within a few weeks of each other in the spring of 2005), defensive tackle (free agent Russell Davis was added to a group that returned intact from last season) and linebacker (free agent Julian Peterson was signed even though all three 2005 starters were back).
“We’re all about making the team better,” Ruskell said.
Holmgren called it a “tremendous” addition and wasn’t too concerned about finding a role for Branch. The team has a two-week exemption before it has to activate Branch, so the coaches will have plenty of practice time to see how he fits in.
“We have good receivers on the football team right now, in my opinion,” Holmgren said, “but this certainly gives us a lot of flexibility to use different packages: more wide receivers in certain packages and things like that.”
Ruskell said “the parameters of a deal have been struck, and it will be a multi-year deal.” But he’s not worried about the long-term effects on the salary cap.
Seattle already has $4.15 million in base salary tied up in Jackson, Engram and Burleson on this year’s cap, while Jackson and Burleson alone are scheduled to make a combined $6 million in base salary next season.
Jackson is in the third year of a six-year, $25 million deal, while Burleson is in the first of a seven-year, $49 million contract. Engram is in the final year of his current deal.
“We’re in good shape right now and will be even when we consummate this deal,” Ruskell said of the salary cap, of which the Seahawks reportedly have $10 million available for 2006. “You pay attention to where it is going. You don’t want to overload (at one position). As we analyzed it, not only now but in the future, we’re in good shape.”
The reason Branch was available was because the Patriots balked at his demands for a long-term deal. They gave him permission to negotiate with other teams, and the Seahawks and New York Jets both made acceptable contract offers. But New England initially refused to trade Branch because neither team was willing to give up more than a second-round pick.
After continual negotiations, the Seahawks decided to part with their No. 1 pick in 2007.
“I’m big on draft picks – I always will be big on draft picks – but this is a known commodity,” Ruskell said. “The first round can be a crapshoot from top to bottom. … As opposed to that, this is a known commodity that we know fits our system and who is in his prime.”
Branch, 27, caught 78 passes with the Patriots last season. He was named the MVP of Super Bowl XXXIX after matching an NFL record with 11 receptions. He caught 10 passes in Super Bowl XXXVIII.
What remains to be seen is how it will affect team chemistry.