Seahawks | Team agrees to terms with R. Davis

[imaCafan]

Seahawks | Team agrees to terms with R. Davis
Sat, 18 Mar 2006 08:54:35 -0800

ESPN.com's Len Pasquarelli reports the Seattle Seahawks have agreed to terms with free agent DT Russell Davis (Cardinals). The contract is for three years, but financial details were not yet available.

 

[RON_IN_OC]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2373902

Seahawks stockpile defensive tackles, add Davis
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com

The Seattle Seahawks, who already have one of the best defensive tackle rotations in the league, have further added to the depth at the position, by reaching a contract agreement with unrestricted free agent Russell Davis.

Russell Davis
Davis

Davis, who visited earlier in the week with Seattle officials, is a seven-year veteran who played the last six seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He is coming off a 2005 season in which a torn biceps limited him to just three games, after he had missed just one game the previous four years.

The contract, ESPN.com has confirmed, is for three years but financial details were not yet available.

It was believed that when the Seahawks re-signed Rocky Bernard to a three-year contract earlier this week, they would no longer be interested in adding Davis to their tackle mix. But the Seahawks apprised Davis and his agent that the retention of Bernard would not preclude them from adding another tackle, and it took only two more days then to complete a deal.

Seattle already has three other veteran tackles beyond Bernard -- Chuck Darby, Marcus Tubbs and Craig Terrill -- but Davis still figures to get significant playing time. The Seattle staff rotates tackles frequently, believing it can maximize a player's productivity by minimizing his snaps. There were occasions in 2005 when the Seattle reserves logged more snaps than the starters.

Davis, 30, should be a good fit in Seattle, because he has always been a player who believes more in the team concept than individual statistics. Outside of Bernard, certainly the most active of the group, Seattle tackles tend to be more steady than spectacular. Davis, whose size (6-feet-4, 306 pounds) makes him a good nose tackle candidate, fits that mold.

A former North Carolina standout, Davis was chosen by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 1999 draft. Despite making the all-rookie team, he was released by the Bears in 2000 and the Cardinals claimed him on waivers. Davis became a durable and dependable player in Arizona, starting 63 of a possible 64 games at one stretch. The biceps injury in 2005 was the most serious of his career, but is fully rehabilitated.

In 98 games, Davis has 246 tackles, 8½ sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.

 

[SeattleCard]

What!!!!

Davis is goin DOWN now!

 

[Renz]

WTF? Seattle wants Hutch back, they want to sign Peterson and Abraham and now Russell Davis? Do they have the same cap manager as Dan Snyder?

 

[ajcardfan]

WTF? Seattle wants Hutch back, they want to sign Peterson and Abraham and now Russell Davis? Do they have the same cap manager as Dan Snyder?

They are probably doing contracts the same way the Skins are and backloading them in an effort to win big this season. You know all those big contracts the Skins laid out this past week? All the cap hits are just over 1.5mil for this season.

 

[CardinalChris]

I think Arizona would like all of those players too. It will never happen, but we'd like to have them.

 

[Stout]

Merry Christmas, Seattle. Your run D and pass D just took a downgrade.

 

[joeshmo]

It will be curious to see if he got what he was asking for or if he signed for lower.

 

[vinnymac]

hate to see davis go. here to the memories.

 

[vince56]

hate to see davis go. here to the memories.

both of them.

Russell Davis was replaced a week ago by Clancy. We'll add another NT in the draft. Case closed. I'm happier without him in there. He had flashes of adequacy while being the core of our HORRIBLE run defense the last few years. He's a great guy, I met Russell's dad one time and had a nice conversation with him, but I'm not sad to see him leaving the team. I'm hoping he plays a lot for the Hawks, especially when we've got James running the ball.

 

[DieHardFromMO]

Being rid of the Russell Davis's of the world is progress in my book. Now if the Cardinals could only upgrade that pitiful OL the league would be put on notice that the Cardinals are for real.

 

[SeaChicken]

Weeeeell that about answers the question I was here to ask. Sounds like we're lucky that he'll be the fifth guy in a five man rotation of DTs. We've got all of our DTs back from last year so looks like he'll be a deep backup.

Everybody keeps saying he was good against the run but a poor pass rusher. Sounds to me (from you guys) like he wasn't that great in either situation. True?

 

[Renz]

Weeeeell that about answers the question I was here to ask. Sounds like we're lucky that he'll be the fifth guy in a five man rotation of DTs. We've got all of our DTs back from last year so looks like he'll be a deep backup.

Everybody keeps saying he was good against the run but a poor pass rusher. Sounds to me (from you guys) like he wasn't that great in either situation. True?

Davis is "okay". Definitely not "good" against the run and not a good pass rusher either. He works hard and makes some plays, but he is never going to be a game-changer. He is a decent depth signing though, IMO.

 

[OC Card]

I think Russell was limited in what he could do on the field but... he was always one of the friendliest players when my sons would get autographs on select a seat days. I wish him the best except when he's playing the cards.

 

[Duckjake]

Weeeeell that about answers the question I was here to ask. Sounds like we're lucky that he'll be the fifth guy in a five man rotation of DTs. We've got all of our DTs back from last year so looks like he'll be a deep backup.

Everybody keeps saying he was good against the run but a poor pass rusher. Sounds to me (from you guys) like he wasn't that great in either situation. True?

Davis produced what you would expect from a DT who never had a really good MLB behind him. He'll improve a lot just not having to line up in that stupid slant.

 

[JeffGollin]

Davis produced what you would expect from a DT who never had a really good MLB behind him.
There are those who might say that Ronald McKinnon and those who followed produced what you'd expect from a Mike backer who never had a really good NT in front of him.

Then there's me who might say - Maybe both our NT's and MLB's produced what you'd expect without a really good NT or MLB in front or in back of them. (i.e. we've been hurting at both positions).

 

[Duckjake]

Davis produced what you would expect from a DT who never had a really good MLB behind him.
There are those who might say that Ronald McKinnon and those who followed produced what you'd expect from a Mike backer who never had a really good NT in front of him.

Then there's me who might say - Maybe both our NT's and MLB's produced what you'd expect without a really good NT or MLB in front or in back of them. (i.e. we've been hurting at both positions).

One of Green's earlieast quotes after coming to Arizona was that he was surprised at how weak the team was at Linebacker.

That the Cards RDE,LDE,LDT,MLB,ROLB,LOLB,FS,RCB &LCB were all replaced before RDavis says something as well.

 

[john h]

hate to see davis go. here to the memories.

I am with you. We certainly did not improve as a team by Davis leaving unless you call more money in the bank for the owners.

 

[john h]

Davis produced what you would expect from a DT who never had a really good MLB behind him. He'll improve a lot just not having to line up in that stupid slant.

I agree. He will be a better player in Seattle. I am always amazed when one of our players leaves that some board members immediately say good riddance or he was a cancer or whatever. We have some outstanding players depart this team who I sure wish we had kept. Leaving Airizona is no black mark on any players resume.

 

[BigDavis75]

I am with you. We certainly did not improve as a team by Davis leaving unless you call more money in the bank for the owners.

I would call the Clancy signing an improvement though.

 

[Renz]

I would call the Clancy signing an improvement though.

A big improvement IMO. Russell Davis is a hard worker, but on his best day he would never be described as "outstanding".

 

[jefftheshark]

I agree. He will be a better player in Seattle. I am always amazed when one of our players leaves that some board members immediately say good riddance or he was a cancer or whatever. We have some outstanding players depart this team who I sure wish we had kept. Leaving Airizona is no black mark on any players resume.

Davis is going to be a rotational player, not a starter like he was here. I would not say that he was a "cancer", but he was not a pro-bowler either. To call Davis an "outstanding" player calls for a re-definition of the term. Davis, at best, was "slightly better than average".

The Shark

 

[Duckjake]

A big improvement IMO. Russell Davis is a hard worker, but on his best day he would never be described as "outstanding".

I don't see Clancy's 7 year NFL career as anywhere near outstanding either.

 

[Redsz]

Yes, but on the 19th of May 2006 Kendrick Clancy > Russel Davis.

 

[Renz]

I don't see Clancy's 7 year NFL career as anywhere near outstanding either.

Clancy is 2 1/2 years younger than Davis and plays like a true nose tackle, taking up space and stuffing the run, two things Davis does not excel at.

Clancy will be much more valuable playing next to Dockett IMO.