Quandre Diggs explains not practicing. Will he play Seahawks’ opener in 11 days?
Quandre Diggs is staying out, trying to take care of himself.
For now. He expects to play in the Seahawks’ opener.
That’s the gist of a confusing explanation from the Pro Bowl safety for why he is not practicing — a “statement,” in the word of coach Pete Carroll — less than two weeks before Seattle opens the season at Indianapolis Sept. 12.
“I wouldn’t necessarily call it a statement. I would just say I had a couple things that I had to get cleared up for myself business-wise,” Diggs said Tuesday following the team’s first practice of the regular season.
He skipped it, as he did last week’s workouts.
“Just like the team, they have stuff business-wise, they have stuff that they have to do,” he said. “It was just something I had to do to protect myself, just like the team protects themselves.”
Diggs is in the final year of the contract the Seahawks inherited when they traded with the Detroit Lions to acquire their co-captain during the 2019 season. He wants a new deal, with Seattle, beyond 2021 — though he didn’t explicitly say that Tuesday.
Not practicing is how he is trying to leverage his situation. It’s the same way veteran Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown is trying to get a new contract past this year: by showing up to the team facility for meetings and indoor workouts, but not practicing.
“I’ve got a family to feed, also,” Diggs said. “So for me I had to make the best decision for me. I wouldn’t say it was a statement. I am grateful to be here, and I tell you guys that all the time: I’m grateful to be here. I’m blessed to be a Seahawk.
“I wouldn’t say it was a reset, but there were some things I needed to patch up on my end and get figured out. As soon as the business thing that I’ve got to do is done, signed, sealed, and delivered, I’ll be back at practice.
“It’s nothing. I wouldn’t call it a hold-in. I’m just getting things cleared up, and I’ll be back out with my teammates pretty soon.”
Diggs said he and Carroll have talked, and that the coach and team know what he’s seeking.
“It’ll happen when it happens. Me and Pete had a talk, so the front office and everybody upstairs understands. My coaches, my teammates, they all understand,” Diggs said. “I don’t think it’s a big deal. Of course, I want to be out there at practice. It’s not like I don’t. I didn’t come to camp to not practice. I don’t think it’s a hold-in.
“As soon as this issue is cleared up, we’ll be ready to go.”
Diggs stands to lose $330,556 per game check if he decides to carry his stand on principle into each regular-season game, a highly unlikely decision. That’s the prorated amount on his $5.95 million salary for 2021.
Practice is one thing. Does he intend to miss a game?
“I doubt it,” he said. “Like I said, I think it should be cleared up pretty soon. Me and my team, we’re handling that.
“At the end of the day, like I said, I’m grateful to be a Seahawk and I’m going to be here. I think I’m going to be out there and ready to play for the first game of the season. You guys will see me at practice pretty shortly.”
Nickel defensive back Marquise Blair has gone back to his college roots at Utah and been a safety next to All-Pro Jamal Adams for the past week that Diggs has stayed out.
Pressed to answer if he’d skip the opener in a week and a half if the Seahawks actually don’t address his contract and issues by then, Diggs said: “I just said: it should be cleared up pretty soon.
“I still got what, 10 days? I plan on being at practice with my teammates. You guys have been around me enough to understand that I love ball. I’m going to play ball. Just like the organization takes care of itself, I’m taking care of my business. And I’ll be back shortly.”
Though Diggs wouldn’t just say exactly what his “business” is here, Carroll stated the obvious Friday, that his free safety wants a new deal for 2022 and beyond.
“He’s making a bit of a statement now,” Carroll said.
“You know, he deserves that.”
Diggs practiced for the first four weeks of training camp and the preseason. Then, soon after Adams got his four-year, $70 million extension that made him the highest-paid safety in NFL history, Diggs stopped practicing. He has continued to show up at the team facility each day.
Why did it take so long into this preseason for him to address his “business”?
“That’s how it played out,” he said. “Things are changing every day. The situation happened to change last week. From then on, I had to do what was best for me.”
Diggs added: “I didn’t expect it to be a big deal like this. I understand you guys see me not practicing, but I had to take care of myself, and I have to get things handled up for my family.
“It’ll be handled soon, shortly. I’m sure you guys can stop worrying about if I’m practicing or not.”
Since the Seahawks traded with the Lions in 2019 to get Diggs to essentially replace the departed Earl Thomas, Diggs and All-Pro Bobby Wagner have been the best and most consistent players on a defense in transition.
Seattle’s defensive line, linebackers on Wagner’s flanks, both starting cornerbacks and Diggs’ safety partner have changed since Diggs arrived in Seattle less than two years ago.
Now, Diggs wants to be taken care of like the team cornerstone he’s become.
“I think everybody wants to get an extension. You always kind of want to have some clarity,” he said.
“Everybody wants to get an extension. Everybody wants to have that opportunity where you’re gratified. It would have been special. It would have been my third deal. I’m blessed to be on my second deal. I make good money. I’m grateful.
“Hopefully, things can get worked out. If not, we’ll move on and continue to focus on the season. ...
“I’m focused on the Colts right now.”
