Seahawks reach agreement with GM John Schneider on extension

The Seahawks are giving John Schneider a contract extension that, according to 710 ESPN Seattle’s John Clayton, will make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid general managers.

Clayton and others reported that the two sides reached an agreement Sunday night. Seahawks owner Paul Allen later confirmed Schneider’s extension, tweeting his congratulations to the person he called the “key architect” of Seattle’s roster.

Schneider, 45, was entering the final year of his previous contract. His new deal runs through the 2021 season, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network.

According to Clayton, the annual average is expected to be in the neighborhood of $3.5 million, which is what Baltimore’s Ozzie Newsome makes as the league’s top-paid general manager. Considering Schneider’s track record with Seattle, Allen’s deep pockets and how the salary cap doesn’t apply to coaches or front-office executives, that was the expectation. It was curious, though, that it was taking so long for the two sides to reach a deal as such matters are often taken care of earlier in the offseason.

Schneider’s tenure as Seattle’s general manager has coincided with the most successful run in franchise history. In the six seasons since he was hired along with coach Pete Carroll, the Seahawks have five playoff appearances, a Super Bowl title and another Super Bowl appearance. Seattle has drafted eight Pro Bowl players in that time.

As Clayton noted, the Seahawks can now turn their attention to an extension for Carroll, who is entering the final year of his own deal. Schneider’s extension may have been the first order of business, which means it wouldn’t be a surprise if Carroll’s gets done soon.