Duane Brown was not happy with the status of his contract, as he reportedly had a layoff during training camp.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll admitted this Tom Pellisero of the NFL Network on Sunday Brown is “making a statement” to stay out of practice and noted that Seattle is working on a pre-season deal.
“We’re working on it…” Carol told Pellisero. “Dwan is really an important player for us on the offensive side of the ball. We know how to deal with him and make sure he is ready to play. He is making a statement now. We are working with him. The instructions and everything, so we know he will be ready to play. This time (anyway), so we’ll try to work our way through it and make sure we can piece this thing together.”
Brown is entering the final year of his contract to earn $10 million in base salary and $1.35 million in bonuses. With 15 left tackles and five right tackles making more than him annually, Brown wants a pay raise in line with his standing as one of the best tackles in the game.
After Sunday’s mock match, quarterback Russell Wilson – who voiced his previous blocking struggles for his streak earlier this season – underscoring how important Brown he believes to the success of the Seahawks in 2021.
“No Duane Brown Wilson said, via ESPN. “I think he’s as good as he gets. No one is more athletic, more talented than him. Age is just a number. He seems to be 28-30 years old there. He’s really exceptional. Very smart and physically, he understands the game, and I think people fear him, To be honest with you, when they rush to him and play against him.
“So we definitely want to be able to get him back there. We have to figure that out because we need to Duane Brown. “
Brown started all 16 of his games last season with Seattle, and he’s a rock on the left side when he’s healthy. He’s 36 at the end of the month, however, and the Seahawks likely won’t want to commit long-term with a player reaching an age where many tackles decline sharply.
With Carroll willing to discuss the situation and inviting Wilson to tackle the left, a compromise could certainly be found that would give Brown a pay raise and possibly a short-term extension without the Seahawks committing to long-term guarantees.