The Seattle Seahawks have rewarded the team’s leading pass rusher from the past two seasons.
According to his agent, Chris Clemons agreed to terms on a new, multi-year contract on Monday. He’s expected to sign today.
Both Clemons’ agent, Don Henderson, and the team confirmed the agreement, but neither would reveal specific terms of the deal. Clemons reportedly turned down a three-year, $18 million offer from Seattle previously.
The 30-year-old defensive end missed most of the team’s offseason workout program, including a mandatory minicamp, to show his displeasure over lack of a contract extension.
Clemons, who led Seattle in sacks with 11 each of the past two seasons, was in the final year of his deal. He was scheduled to make $3 million in base salary in 2012.
Because he skipped the mandatory minicamp, Clemons missed out on a $100,000 workout bonus, and could have been fined up to $73,000 by the team.
Furthermore, according to NFL.com., Clemons suffered a $1 million deceleration in the final year of his deal because of missing minicamp, meaning he would have made $4 million in base salary had he showed up in June.
But it’s expected that Clemons recovered that money and then some now that he’s received a new contract.
Clemons is the first Seattle player since Michael Sinclair to finish with double-digit sacks in back-to-back seasons. Sinclair had 12 in 1997 and 161/2 in 1998.
Getting a deal done with Clemons before training camp was important for Seattle because the University of Georgia product is the team’s only proven pass rusher. Seattle drafted defensive end Bruce Irvin with the No. 15 overall pick in this year’s draft, but the rookie out of West Virginia is expected to become the team’s third-down pass rusher since veteran Raheem Brock was not brought back. Brock played about 550 snaps last season.
Veterans and rookies are scheduled to report when the Seahawks open training camp Friday.
eric.williams@thenewstribune.com253-597-8437
blog.thenewstribune.com/seahawks
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