Seattle Seahawks: What the Duane Brown deal means for the team

The Seattle Seahawks have extended Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown, finally securing a much-needed and crucial piece to their offense.

The Seattle Seahawks have agreed to a three-year extension with their Pro Bowl left tackle Duane Brown, who they acquired from the Houston Texans last season. The extension is worth $36.5 million per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Brown now has four years and $46.25 million left on his current contract.

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So what did we learn from the extension? There are several conclusions that can be drawn. First, it ensures that Russell Wilson will have at least one capable blocker as the team continues to retool. Considering how much Wilson has to scramble to keep plays alive, and how poorly the patchy Seattle line is constructed, securing a cornerstone like Brown is a huge win.

Second, the team gains an experienced leader at a key position. The Seahawks locker room appeared to be turbulent at points last season and the Earl Thomas holdout hasn’t changed that image. With any luck Brown will act as a stabilizing force for the team and head coach Pete Carroll as he goes about changing the team’s culture as he sees fit.

Seattle Seahawks

Third, Thomas will almost definitely go without a new deal. The team has made their priorities clear and chose to go with Brown over their Pro Bowl safety. It looks like the stare down between Thomas and the Seahawks will continue into the future. At this point, the team needs to be ready to play without him, because this move certainly won’t make the former “Legion of Boom” member happy.

And finally, the extension shows the team’s commitment to returning to the running game. While the left tackle spot is often associated with pass blocking, it plays an equally important role in the run game. The Seahawks haven’t had a remotely threatening run game since Marshawn Lynch left them. Between drafting Rashaad Penny and keeping Brown, the team might be trying to return to its’ old winning style.

Is it a good deal? Initially it appeared the extension was a bad idea and that the Seahawks were agreeing to pay Brown for poorer play as he gets older. He will be 36 when his contract ends after all. But that may not be the case. Donald Penn, another great left tackle, is 35 and has made the last two Pro Bowls. He is also signed through his age 36 season. Joe Staley is signed through his age 35 season. Andrew Whitworth was a First Team All-Pro this past season at age 36 and will be in his age 38 season when his deal ends.

It is sometimes easy to forget how long great tackles can play at a high level before and misjudged just how good Brown can still be at 36. Finding examples of left tackles signed to similar ages and still performing at a high level eased a lot of the doubt some had when the Brown extension was initially reported.

Brown’s new contract seems like a great move for the Seahawks. It’s a good step toward preserving Wilson’s health and rebuilding the team’s offense. It was the right investment for the team to make, but now all we can do is sit back and see how the team’s other contract situations resolve themselves. One move alone won’t be enough to restore the Seahawks to the glory they had during the “Legion of Boom” era.