12th Man Rising
FanSided

Seattle Seahawks: Russell Okung fires his agent, what does it mean?

By Dan Viens

facebooktwitterreddit

Nearing the end of his rookie contract, signed after he was the 6th pick in the 2010 Draft, Seattle Seahawks left tackle Russell Okung has made a rare and startling decision:

More from Seattle Seahawks News

“Before I became a free agent, I decided to free my agent,” Okung said in a self-penned piece posted to The Players Tribune website today.

According to Okung, he learned as far back as that year he was drafted that he possessed more leverage than many people had led him to believe.  When negotiating terms with sports agent Peter Schaffer, Okung asked if Schaffer would be willing to take 2.5 percent rather than the customary 3 percent.  Schaffer agreed.

Since then, Okung has established himself as one of the better left tackles in the league.  Not elite, not All-Pro, but a very good player at a premium position.  At 27 years of age, he’s entering the final year of his 6 year/$48.5 million rookie deal.  He’s willing to bet that he’s knowledgeable and astute enough to represent himself in negotiations with the Seahawks, or any other team should be become an UFA in 2016. So he let Schaffer go.

"“There’s a new sort of athlete,” Okung writes.  “He’s a businessman and a living brand.  He’s a player who represents himself because he not only understands the market and his own personal value, but has the self-assurance and financial know-how to do so, too.”"

So does this decision make it more or less likely that Okung remains a Seahawk beyond this year?  It’s hard to tell at this point.  On one hand it may work in the team’s favor, as Okung won’t have an agent with his own self-interests at heart trying to make a splash by seeking top dollar for Okung in a bigger market.  Impending free agents re-signing with their own teams doesn’t make headlines the way defections do.  If the New York Jets, for example, wanted to pay Okung more than market value, an ambitious agent might try and convince the player it’s the best move to make even if the player isn’t completely sold.

Then again, maybe Okung is so intent on making a point with his self-representation that such a move would be more attractive for him to make on his own as well.

And then there’s the question of how strongly the Seahawks view Okung as a piece of their future.  As I said, he’s been a very good, but not great, left tackle.  He’s made one Pro Bowl, but more was expected. There’s also the matter of his durability. He’s yet to play 16 games in a single regular season.  There was rampant speculation that Seattle was looking to draft an offensive lineman in 2015 who may be capable of starting at LT should Okung go elsewhere, but none of the linemen drafted appear a shoe-in to fit that bill.

As with any contract negotiation, this will likely all come down to expectations.  The Seahawks most likely want Okung to sign an extension, but only at a certain value.  If Okung thinks he’s worth more he may be willing to test free agency, and LT is one position where teams have a tendency to overpay.

Good ones are hard to find. Okung is good and in his prime, and he’s willing to take the debate over his value into his own hands.

Or, as he puts it…. “I know I’m more than adequate without representation, I’m betting on myself.”

Next: Beast Mode finally gets the winning score

More from 12th Man Rising

Home/Seattle Seahawks News