Seattle Seahawks fans got an early Christmas present this past Sunday.
The defending Super Bowl champions took the top spot in the NFC West after a 35-6 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Although Seattle and Arizona share identical 11-4 records, the Seahawks hold the tiebreaker after having two wins over the Cardinals. They will possibly have home field advantage in the playoffs if they can beat the St. Louis Rams (6-9) in the final game of the regular season.
It’s no question that one of Seattle’s driving force is their defense. They have only allowed 33 points in the last five games — 6.5 per game — and just one touchdown in the last two. Currently they have only allowed 16.5 points per game for the season.
While the 2014 season isn’t over, the Seahawks have already locked down several players from their championship defense for the next several years.
The Seahawks signed defensive lineman Cliff Avril to a four-year extension Dec. 19. According to ESPN.com, the deal is worth $28.5 million with $16 million guaranteed. After the announcement, Avril went on Twitter and wrote that the contract extension is “a big relief.”
“I didn’t want to go back into free agency,” Avril wrote. “I did not like that process a few years ago.”
Avril previously signed a two-year deal with the Seahawks before the 2013 season. In his first year, where he was played on a rotation, Avril had eight sacks and 13 tackles. This year as a starter he currently has 15 tackles and 4.5 sacks.
A day before they announced Avril’s signing, the Seahawks signed linebacker K.J. Wright to a four-year extension worth $27 million. Although he was curious about his value on the open market, Wright is glad he is staying with the Seahawks.
“It’s just a blessing to know that the Seahawks want me here for a long period of time,” Wright said at a press conference. “Coach (Pete) Carroll called me the night before and explained how much I mean to the team, being a leader. … I love it here. They drafted me and this just feels like home.”
In 2013, Wright had 46 tackles and 1.5 sacks in his first year with the Seahawks. This year Wright has 69 tackles and two sacks.
In addition to Avril and Wright, cornerback Richard Sherman, defensive lineman Michael Bennett and defensive back Earl Thomas signed four-year extensions earlier this year. In 2013, Seattle signed safety Kam Chancellor to a four-year deal.
The only defensive player the Seahawks need to resign is middle linebacker Bobby Marshall, who is eligible for a contract extension after the season.
Keeping this core group of players not only solidifies Seattle’s defense for the next few years, but it also gives this team a chance to create a system that new and future players can adapt to.
While Seattle’s core defense is secure for the next few seasons, there are still a couple of big players who the Seahawks should try and keep, specifically quarterback Russell Wilson. Like Marshall, Wilson is eligible for a contract extension at the end of the year.
The Seahawks are building their offense around Wilson, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the team offered him a deal once the Seahawks finish the year — which will hopefully culminate in another Super Bowl championship.
Al Stover can be reached at [email protected].
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