THE CHEAP SEATS with STEVE CAMERON: Meanwhile, the NFL rolls on ...
What pandemic?
Nothing, absolutely nothing — including the coronavirus which basically has put the entire world on hold — can stop the NFL from doing business.
So…
The wild free-agent market has begun and it’s already rocking (we’ll look at the Seahawks in a minute), a new collective bargaining agreement between players and owners has been agreed, and hey, the draft is coming on April 23-25.
The draft will be done remotely, though, costing Las Vegas millions in what was expected to be massive fan revenue.
If any city can front the loss, however, it has to be Vegas.
There was disagreement among NFL execs about whether to go ahead with semi-normal business with the country in a state of crisis, but as usual with pro football…
The owners who want to keep the engine turning won out.
No big surprise there.
YOU MAY be thinking that the CBA, which was barely approved in a vote mostly opposed by the league’s stars, is the boring news here.
Like, what about Jadeveon Clowney and all the other good stuff?
What are the Seahawks doing?
Fair enough, but bear in mind that this labor agreement which covers 2020 and then another 10 years, will lead to a 17-game season (the extra games all played outside the U.S.) and one additional wild-card team in each conference — setting up a 14-team race to the Super Bowl.
And extra TV revenue, of course.
Teams also will add a couple of roster spots and be granted more personnel on their practice squads — two players immediately and two later.
The final item you need to digest here, however, is that each team’s salary cap will get a bump.
Dallas, for instance, was in a bind with quarterback Dak Prescott and wide receiver Amari Cooper both needing new deals.
The Cowboys immediately signed Cooper to a multi-year deal worth $100 million-plus, meaning they can put a franchise tag on Prescott, if necessary.
FINALLY, we get to the Seahawks.
And Clowney.
Frankly, I wouldn’t put a lot of faith in the defensive disrupter returning to Seattle.
The 49ers already have traded outstanding defensive lineman DeForest Buckner to the Colts for a first-round pick — and Indy quickly handed Buckner a deal worth $21 million per year.
Clowney seems set on money at the top of the market, and the Seahawks — although they assess each situation in the big picture — have so far been reluctant to get into salary territory around $20 million.
They traded Frank Clark a year ago for that very reason.
On the other hand, both GM John Schneider and Coach Pete Carroll have stated publicly that they have to fix a pass rush that generated just 28 sacks a year ago.
Some good news on that front: Seattle has signed its own free-agent tackle, Jarran Reed, to a two-year deal for $23 million.
The Hawks have also tendered some restricted free agents (meaning they can match any offers), including tight end Jacob Hollister, defensive lineman Branden Jackson and receiver David Moore.
Prior to approval of the CBA, Seattle had about $51 million in cap space, so Schneider has the freedom to go hunting for pass rushers.
Perhaps they’ll get in the Clowney sweepstakes, although bidding wars aren’t the Seahawks’ normal method of operation.
I think they should call Houston again, the team from which they stole Clowney a year ago.
The Texans just traded star receiver DeAndre Hopkins to Arizona for aging runner David Johnson, so they appear no smarter this year.
Surely the Texans have another young pass rusher that they’d be willing to give away.
Hey, when you’re doing business in the midst of a pandemic…
Anything’s possible.
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Steve Cameron’s “Cheap Seats” columns for The Press appear on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He also contributes the “Zags Tracker” package on Gonzaga basketball each Tuesday.
Steve’s various tales from several decades in sports — “Moments, Memories and Madness” — run on Sundays.