Seattle free-agent cornerback Marcus Trufant made a new proposal to the team on Monday, informing the Seahawks he would be willing to take less money than Asante Samuel.

Under the terms of Trufant’s new offer, the Seahawks would save an estimated $6.5 million in salary cap space at a time when they are close to the $116 million cap.

Seahawks general manager Tim Ruskell, through a team spokesperson, declined to comment.

Samuel, a key member of New England’s 18-1 team that lost the Super Bowl, this week signed a six-year contract worth nearly $57 million with the Philadelphia Eagles, an average of almost $9.5 million a season. Samuel received $23.5 million in guaranteed money.

Though exact figures were not known, Trufant, a Tacoma native, informed the Seahawks he would be willing to give them a hometown discount, a deal that likely would average around $9 million a year over five or six years. Trufant is likely seeking around $20 million in guaranteed money.

The Seahawks have designated Trufant as the team’s franchise player and has tendered him a one-year offer for $9.465 million.

The new proposal would allow the Seahawks to structure Trufant’s contract so that he would count roughly $3 million against the salary cap in 2008, allowing Ruskell to sign some of his own free agents or pursue those still on the market.

Already this offseason, the Seahawks have released tackle Tom Ashworth to save $2 million under the cap.

In the past few days, they lost linebackers Kevin Bentley (three years, $4 million) to Houston and Niko Koutouvides (three years, $7.5 million) to Denver, at least in part because they did not have the cap space to retain them.

Kicker Josh Brown signed with the St. Louis Rams on Friday, saying he was unhappy with the guaranteed money the Seahawks were offering because they were having issues with their salary-cap space.

Ruskell on Thursday said that he did not view Trufant as the type of lock-down corner who should command the type of money that only quarterbacks generally exceed. It was thought the Seahawks’ initial offer to Trufant was for around $7 million a season.

Nate Clements last season signed an eight-year, $80 million deal with the San Francisco 49ers, setting the market for cornerbacks. Samuel affirmed that market with his contract with Philadelphia.

When Ruskell was asked on Thursday what the Seahawks’ stance would be once Samuel signed a new deal, he said: “We have to go with our (own) evaluations and our valuations. The good news is that gets us talking again. And we are never going to pass an opportunity to do that. It helps our team to get him done right. He is an important part of our football team.”

Meanwhile, the Seahawks on Monday met with free-agent running back T.J. Duckett, who played last season for the Detroit Lions.

Duckett played in Atlanta for four seasons and has some familiarity with Ruskell and head coach-in-waiting Jim Mora.

Duckett is a former first-round pick (18th overall) who could address some of the team’s short-yardage shortcomings last season.

At 6 foot, 254 pounds, Duckett averaged 3.1 yards a carry for the Falcons in 2005 and scored eight touchdowns.

He averaged 5.2 yards per carry last season in Detroit, though he was limited to 335 yards in a crowded backfield that included Kevin Jones. Duckett paid a free-agent visit to the Seahawks last season before signing with Detroit, where he earned $1.6 million.

The Seahawks are expected to bring in Baltimore Ravens linebacker Nick Greisen today, perhaps to fill one of the vacancies created by the loss of Bentley and Koutouvides, a special teams captain who led the Seahawks in special teams tackles.

Greisen, who has played with three teams in three years, could be a key backup to the talented trio of starting Seattle linebackers. He started in place of injured Ray Lewis in the Ravens’ loss to Seattle at Qwest Field this past season.

He also had 17 special teams tackles for Baltimore during the season, a role he likely would reprise with Seattle if he signs.

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