The Seahawks had placed
the franchise tag on Trufant, who went to his first Pro Bowl after the 2007
season, and were on the hook for a $9.465 million salary cap hit this year.
The holdup was that team
president Tim Ruskell did not profess to believe that the Washington State grad,
Seattle's first-round draft pick in 2003, was worth elite cornerback money.
And his efforts in 2007 were aided by more consistent pass rush and better safety
help.
This would indicate that
the team was offering less than the six-year, $57.14 million deal given to Asante
Samuel by the Eagles, or the seven-year, $66.28 million deal given to DeAngelo
Hall by the Oakland Raiders after the Raiders traded two draft picks for Hall.
Florio's report indicates
that Trufant's deal is worth $50.2 million over six years, with $20 million
in guaranteed money and $28 million over the first three years. A $3 million
roster bonus in 2010 is included.
Trufant had the best season
of his five-year career in 2007, bringing in seven interceptions for 150 return
yards and a touchdown. He's long been known as one of the league's best-tackling
cornerbacks. He's amassed 17 interceptions and 396 tackles during his time with
the Seahawks.
Stay tuned for further confirmation
and more details as they become available.