Seahawks Agree to Deals with Two Key Free Agents

Well, this should certainly take some of the sting out of the Seahawks unceremoniously giving the boot to the greatest quarterback in franchise history. Seattle made a huge splash in free agency on Wednesday, agreeing to deals with wide receiver Sidney Rice and guard Robert Gallery. Since players cannot sign with teams until Friday per the rules that ended the lockout earlier this week, nothing is official yet. So everything could still go down in flames if the players (however unlikely) change their minds by then. But for now...oh man. This is great.

Gallery fills the gaping hole at left guard that's been in the 'Hawks lineup since perennial All-Pro Steve Hutchinson decamped to the Minnesota Vikings in 2006. The former #2 overall pick flamed out in his original position of left tackle, but has thrived after switching to guard before the 2007 season. The 6'7", 325-pound Gallery is one of the best run blockers in the NFL (eh, let's not discuss his pass-blocking on this happy day) and his veteran presence should prove valuable on an offensive line that projects to start two rookies, a second-year player, and a third-year player.

But yesterday's big get is Rice. Just 24 years old, the 6'4" receiver still has his prime ahead of him. Rice was selected to the Pro Bowl after a 2009 season in which he caught 83 passes for 1,312 yards and 8 touchdowns. If he stays healthy--he was limited by a serious hip injury last year and still has to pass a physical on Friday--he could be the most dangerous receiving threat the Seahawks have had since at least the days of Darrell Jackson and possibly even since the legendary Steve Largent. And the thought of teaming Rice with fellow giant WR Mike Williams (6'5") must make new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell (who was Rice's OC with the Minnesota Vikings for the past 4 years) absolutely giddy. Oh, and there's also the added bonus of this being a little bit of payback for 'Hawks fans still stung by the way Rice's former team shadily used a "poison-pill clause" to nab Hutchinson all those years ago. Schadenfreude is not beneath us.

Now about that whole "person who throws the ball to Rice" thing, well, er, at least the 2012 NFL draft seems like it will be stocked with quarterback talent...