Official NFL Free Agent Signings Thread

[That Guy]

Seahawks | Hutchinson's fate delayed
Fri, 17 Mar 2006 13:34:00 -0800

Gregg Bell, of the Associated Press, reports the future fate of Seattle Seahawks transition free agent OG Steve Hutchinson will be decided by an arbitration process. That will delay the Sunday deadline, March 19, for the team to match an offer to Hutchinson by the Minnesota Vikings. The NFL Players Association said Friday, March 17, that the league has filed a claim on behalf of the Seahawks contending a clause in the offer sheet Hutchinson signed with the Vikings last weekend circumvents the league's labor contract. The clause in question would guarantee Hutchinson the entire contract sum if Hutchinson is not the team's highest-paid offensive lineman. NFL spokesman Michael Signora confirmed that the NFL had filed the case. Richard Berthelsen, general counsel for the NFLPA, said the union will argue against the Seahawks' and league's claims. "They say the clause circumvents our collective bargaining agreement. It is our belief that it does not," Berthelsen said. Berthelsen said the union's interpretation of the issue is that the clause is permitted by the CBA because it is a "principal term" of the agreement.





the seahawks could lose this, big time.