The Seattle Seahawks signed their second player to a contract extension in a week, and in the process solidified the team’s offensive line for the next two years by signing center Max Unger to a multi-year deal, the team announced Thursday.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Drafted in the second round in 2009 by Seattle out of the University of Oregon, Unger was in the final year of his rookie contract. With the signing, all five of Seattle’s projected starting offensive linemen are signed through the 2013 season – left tackle Russell Okung, left guard Paul McQuistan, right guard John Moffitt, right tackle Breno Giacomini and Unger.
“(Coach) Pete (Carroll) and I are excited to lock up a young core leader on our offense,” Seahawks general manager John Schneider said in a prepared statement. “Max’s consistent and professional approach to his job transcends the locker room and the huddle.”
Unger began his career as a right guard for the Seahawks, becoming the first Seattle rookie to start all 16 games since Ray Roberts in 1992, while Chris Spencer served as Seattle’s center in 2009 and 2010.
Unger played center for the final three games of his rookie season, with Spencer moving over to right guard because of an injury to his snapping hand.
Unger, 26, missed 15 games in the 2010 season because of torn tendons in his left big toe.
Unger, who considers center his best position, moved back to the middle of the offensive line last season once Seattle let Spencer sign with Chicago in free agency. Unger started 15 games in 2011.
“I am very happy about this new deal,” Unger said. “We have a developing young line that had some success last year that we can build upon this season. It’s a good deal for the both of us and I couldn’t be happier to be in Seattle.”
Unger anchored a line that paved the way for Marshawn Lynch to lead the league the last nine weeks of the 2011 season with 941 rushing yards for Seattle.
With Unger signed, Schneider and Carroll likely will turn their attention to working with Pro Bowl safety Kam Chancellor on a contract extension.
Chancellor is in the third year of a four-year rookie deal that is worth almost $2.1 million and will pay him a base salary of $490,000 in 2012.
eric.williams@thenewstribune.com 253-597-8437 blog.thenewstribune.com/seahawks @eric_d_williams
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