Renton – It’s been almost four years since Pro Bowl offensive guard Steve Hutchinson got away from Seattle to Minnesota, and it’s still a sore spot for Seahawks fans.
And Vikings running back Adrian Peterson had no problem pouring salt in the wound Wednesday.
“I’m doing a dance right now because we got him and y’all don’t,” Peterson said when asked about Hutchinson during a conference call with Seattle-area reporters. “He’s the ring leader of the offensive line. It’s still funny to me how y’all let this guy go. But he’s a leader. He gets the job done. And he’s a beast. That’s the way I explain how he is on the field.”
Peterson should know. He’s widely considered the best back in the league right now after finishing among the league rushing leaders the past two years. Part of the reason for that is how Hutchinson and the rest of the Minnesota offensive line clear the way for him.
Hutchinson is widely considered one of the best guards in the league, a six-time Pro Bowl selection who has been named to the All-Pro first team for the past three seasons.
“He’s good at everything,” Seattle coach Jim Mora said. “He’s a tenacious run blocker. He’s an excellent pass protector. He has the ability to get to the second level quickly. And he’s got a nasty streak, a mean streak.”
By now, unless you’ve been living under a rock for four years, you probably are familiar with the particulars of how Hutchinson departed Seattle.
Hutchinson was an unrestricted free agent in early 2006, just after the Seahawks reached the Super Bowl, and Seattle general manager Tim Ruskell had the option to place Seattle’s franchise tag on him, making him unavailable to other teams.
But Ruskell made what he admitted was a mistake, placing only the transition tag on Hutcinson, which allowed the Vikings to claim the all-pro guard by using a crafty poison-pill clause in a seven-year, $49 million contract offer to Hutchinson. The Seahawks would have had to guarantee the entire contract to keep Hutchinson.
“I know, at the time, everybody looked at the contract and said it was ridiculous and all that,” Minnesota coach Brad Childress said. “But really, the price of poker’s gone up, and it’s probably nominal now for a good free agent.”
The Seahawks struck back by signing former Minnesota receiver Nate Burleson to a contract similar to the once used in the Hutchinson deal.
“For me it was just a decision,” Burleson said about signing with Seattle “After everything started happening I realized it was a lot bigger than me just signing a 4-year deal.”
Hutchinson chose not to talk about the subject when asked about it by Minnesota reporters on Wednesday.
“I’ve been here just as long as I’d been there,” said Hutchinson, who is in his fourth season with the Vikings after five in Seattle.
Extra points
Seahawks coach Jim Mora reiterated that running back Julius Jones is out for this week with a bruised lung. “He’s doing better,” Mora said. “He was in meetings today. He said he’s feeling good, but he won’t be playing Sunday.” There is no timetable for Jones’ return. But Mora hopes it will be next week. … Along with Jones, Marcus Trufant (concussion), Josh Wilson (concussion) and Craig Terrill (shoulder) did not participate in practice. Center Chris Spencer (thumb), who’s been snapping with his opposite (left) hand, was a full participant in practice.
Eric D. Williams: 253-597-8437
eric.williams@thenewstribune.com
blog.thenewstribune.com/seahawks
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