No Longer a Rumor: Seahawks Sign Multiple Picks

Fourth-round pick OG Rob Sims and seventh-round pick WR Ben Obomanu signed their contracts this morning, but we already knew the team had come to terms with both players. Darryl Tapp has agreed to terms also and the Seahawks report he has signed his deal.

Kelly Jennings is the lone unsigned draft pick, and things were looking good with DeMeco Ryans and Marcedes Lewis signing to provide some framing to slot Jennings contract between. However, the deal that Mathias Kiwanuka signed could cause some problems. I noted this on Seahawks Insider about three-and-a-half hours before Mike Sando did, but we think it makes it difficult for different (and somewhat opposite) reasons. Mike posits that the team might not be willing to offer the same type of guaranteed money the Giants gave Kiwanuka because he got so much, so early in the contract. I think Jennings will want considerably more in total money than Kiwanuka because he took less than he should have.

DE Mathias Kiwanuka (Boston College) was taken immediately after Jennings. He signed for 5-years at just under $7 million. The contract also includes almost $5 million in guaranteed money. My estimate for Jennings was just under $5 million in guaranteed money with a total value of $7.6-$7.8 million. Apparently Kiwi's deal has a lot of his guaranteed money early in the contract, but I fail to see how that really matters. It seems to me that all guaranteed money is guaranteed and you might as well spend it now when everyone has cap room. No matter when you guarantee the money, you get stuck paying it.

I think the problem will be the total value of the deal. Kiwanuka signed for $6.96 million, an 8.75% increase over last year's 32nd pick (although the increase in guaranteed money is 25%). The salary cap went up 20%, and it looks like most picks are signing for about 10-15% above last year's numbers. A 15% bump over last year's 31st pick (DT Mike Patterson) would put Jennings contract at $7.59 million. CB is a a higher-paid position than DT, so $7.6 million seems reasonable for Jennings.

In fact, both reasons (Mike's and mine) could make it more difficult at the same time. Let's say Jennings was asking for around $7.6 million with $5 million guaranteed and both sides were relatively close on those terms. Now Jennings might want similar early guaranteed money because of the Kiwanuka deal, and the team might not want to give him those assurances. At the same time, the Seahawks might now be less willing to meet Jennings total value demands because of the low total value of Kiwanuka's contract. It creates two points of contention with each side citing Kiwi's deal on the sticking point that is convenient to them.