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Price Signs, Draft Class Complete: Eight for Eight Before Minicamp
Jadarian Price signed his rookie contract on Friday afternoon. The formality took about five weeks. The feeling, apparently, took a little longer to land. “It’s always been a dream of mine since I was a kid to play in the NFL,” Price told Seahawks.com after signing. “Now that I’m actually here, it’s my reality. It’s reality now and I feel amazing.”
The four-year deal is projected at roughly $16.8 million with an $8.8 million signing bonus, per Spotrac estimates. Price was the 32nd and final pick of the first round, which in the rookie-scale era means the numbers were never in dispute. What was in dispute: whether Seattle’s front office could get all eight picks locked up before mandatory minicamp begins June 9. They did it with 10 days to spare.
$16.8M
Price’s projected four-year rookie deal with an $8.8M signing bonus. Love’s deal: $53M.
Price is the only surefire new starter on this roster. Walker is in Kansas City. Charbonnet is rehabbing a torn ACL. The backfield belongs to No. 8 until further notice. And Shaun Alexander, the franchise’s all-time leading rusher, went on Up & Adams this week and made the kind of prediction that either ages beautifully or follows you around for decades: Price will be the only rookie running back to rush for 1,000 yards this season.
Alexander’s reasoning is characteristically specific. He sees a stretch runner who fits Brian Fleury’s outside-zone scheme like it was built for him. “He ran that stretch run at Notre Dame really, really well,” Alexander said. “I think that this offensive system is going to be really great for him.” The caveat: Charbonnet’s return will eat into the workload. But if Price blazes out of the gate? “He’ll be RB1 for sure.”
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Shaun Alexander doesn’t hand out compliments like candy. When the man who scored 100 touchdowns in Seattle says a rookie fits the system, you write it down.
For context, Price’s Notre Dame teammate Jeremiyah Love signed a four-year, $53 million deal as the No. 3 overall pick. Price will make roughly $4 million a year. The gap between 3 and 32 is about $36 million and a whole lot of bulletin board material.
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Front Office
Teasley Watch: Vikings Finished Second Interviews. Decision Coming.
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Nolan Teasley is the only finalist without obvious Minnesota ties. The other four candidates all have prior Vikings connections: interim GM Rob Brzezinski, Denver’s Reed Burckhardt, Buffalo’s Terrance Gray, and the Rams’ John McKay. CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones noted that Teasley “came highly recommended by Seahawks GM John Schneider” and carries the credential of having just won a Super Bowl as the No. 2 in command.
The stakes for Seattle are simple. If Teasley lands the job, the Seahawks receive a compensatory third-round pick in each of the next two drafts. That’s real capital. The cost is losing the assistant GM who helped Schneider build back-to-back contenders. Vikings Territory’s analysis named McKay and Teasley as its two favorites. Brzezinski remains the perceived frontrunner. But nobody knows until the phone rings.
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AROUND THE COOP
Around the Coop
Bleacher Report listed Price among its top Offensive Rookie of the Year candidates, citing his landing spot on a loaded champion. Never drafted a first-round back since Shaun Alexander and immediately making OROY lists? No pressure, kid. Roundtable/SI
OTAs continued Thursday with a sunny Day 2 session at the VMAC. D-Law was there. Darnold was there. Beau Stephens was in the photo gallery repping No. 60. Anthony Bradford’s job security shortens by the hour. Seahawks.com
The Seahawks now have all eight draft picks signed and 14 wide receivers on the roster. That’s more receivers than some teams have total offensive skill players. The 53-man cut is going to be a massacre. Seahawks.com
Cliff Avril threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a Yomiuri Giants vs. Hanshin Tigers game at Tokyo Dome last Friday. A Seahawks legend in a Japanese baseball stadium. Globalization is beautiful. Seahawks.com
NFC WEST SCHADENFREUDE REPORT
RAMS
Nacua spoke to reporters for the first time since being sued and delivered the press conference equivalent of a deep breath: “I’ve been really grateful for the support from the organization.” He called the lawsuit an “ongoing legal battle,” said rehab and therapy have been good for him, and claimed his contract extension is “not on his mind.” NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport says this OTA return is being viewed as a reset. The Rams need it to be. The top of the receiver market sits at $42.15 million per year thanks to JSN, and Nacua isn’t getting anywhere near that number until the off-field situation resolves itself.
NINERS
The 49ers opened OTAs and immediately added to their injury ward: Isaac Guerendo tore his pectoral muscle lifting weights last month and won’t return until the end of training camp. That’s Bosa (ACL), Kittle (Achilles), Guerendo (pec), and Trent Williams (still absent, just vibes). Bosa said he’s “pretty far along” and eyeing training camp, which is encouraging until you remember this is his second ACL tear on the same knee. The running back reps at OTAs went to rookie Kaelon Black and a revolving door of street free agents. This franchise collects injuries like other teams collect wins.
CARDINALS
June 1 is tomorrow, and the Josh Sweat sweepstakes are about to go live. A post-June 1 trade saves Arizona $10.9 million in cap space, and the phones are already ringing. Sweat had 12 sacks last season, requested a trade after Jonathan Gannon was fired, and hasn’t shown up to a single OTA. Green Bay, where Gannon now coordinates the defense, is the obvious destination. The Cardinals paid him $76 million to anchor a defense that went 3-14. Some anchors just drag you to the bottom.
SEACHICKENS TRIVIA
The Seahawks acquired Steve Largent from the Houston Oilers in a 1976 preseason trade. What did Seattle give up to get the receiver who would retire holding every major NFL career receiving record?
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An eighth-round draft pick. Houston thought Largent was too small and slow to make the roster. He spent 14 seasons in Seattle, caught 819 passes for 13,089 yards and 100 touchdowns, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his first ballot in 1995.
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Eight signatures. One dream. Minicamp is ten days away and this roster is locked and loaded. Go Hawks. — The Rooster