While newly acquired left tackle Duane Brown is only under contract through next season, Seahawks general manager John Schneider made it clear Monday afternoon they see Brown as a big part of their future.
“Because we acquired Duane, we want him to finish his career here and have him be here for several more years,” Schneider said.
The Seahawks reached an agreement with the Texans to acquire Brown in exchange for cornerback Jeremy Lane and a pair of draft picks. The deal is still contingent on physicals and other administrative steps being completed.
Brown solves a significant problem for the Seahawks at left tackle. Schneider said he’d been in talks with the Texans ever since George Fant tore his ACL during the preseason with Seattle. That injury forced the Seahawks to use Rees Odhiambo at left tackle for the first seven games of the season.
While Odhiambo could be serviceable in pass protection, he really struggled as a run blocker. Jadeveon Clowney frequently tossed Odhiambo around during Sunday’s game between the Seahawks and Texans. Brown’s addition adds a steadying influence to a beleaguered offensive line that has improved throughout the season.
“We’re really excited to get him up here, get him back up here,” Schneider said. “He could have just stayed overnight, I guess, but we’re just really excited to add the player and his leadership and the guy.
“Power. Physicality. He’s got great hands, really good instincts. He’s just a mountain of a man.”
The Seahawks will have to do some maneuvering around the salary cap to add Brown to their roster. The trade of Jeremy Lane to Houston isn’t enough to offset the salary commitments Brown brings along with him. Giving Brown a contract extension - which he was seeking for Houston in holding out for the first seven weeks of the year - could allow Seattle the flexibility they need to fit Brown into their salary cap. It would also set the table for him to be a part of the team beyond the 2018 season.
The deal likely won’t be completed until late-Tuesday or Wednesday, which gives Seattle time to complete the contract hurdles necessary.
“He’s an alpha male, he’s a leader, he’s been through a lot of the NFL battles,” Schneider said. “These guys know who he is. He’s one of those guys. It’s kind of like what you saw with Dwight Freeney coming in here last week, where those guys were kind of like, ‘Holy s---, that’s Dwight Freeney.’ Same thing with this guy. They all know who Duane Brown is.”
Brown is a three-time Pro Bowl selection and was named a first-team All-Pro in 2012.