SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
What does Malik McDowell’s future look like with the Seahawks?
Addressing reporters the day after Seahawks’ rookie Malik McDowell was arrested in Atlanta for disorderly conduct, head coach Pete Carroll said the 21-year-old defensive tackle was “remorseful” about his actions.
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The recent arrest, coupled with McDowell’s offseason ATV accident, had 710 ESPN Seattle’s John Clayton wondering whether the former Michigan State standout would ever play for Seattle.
“My thought is, the way things have gone with the ATV, with the fact that he’s not been able to play this season, you don’t know health-wise if he’s going to be able to play, I really question whether he’s going to ever be able to play with this team,” Clayton said. “I just wonder if they cut faith. But, knowing how Pete Carroll is, he loves giving guys second and third chances, particularly as long as they’re remorseful, as long as they’re accountable, and as long as they try to fix things up, he might be willing to do it.”
Police arrested McDowell outside of a club in Atlanta in the early morning hours of Sunday, Dec. 10, where he was allegedly involved in a dispute over money. McDowell has since issued a statement in which he expressed his remorse and apologized to all parties involved.
The most recent incident raises another question mark for the highly-touted second-round draft pick.
“Contractually, I’m sure that they have to come back and take away, at the very least, one quarter of the signing bonus that they gave him,” Clayton said, “because he has not done anything and then he made this incident. But, if he accepts that, do you take him back?”
Clayton notes there are financial incentives to keeping McDowell, though, which may also sway the Seahawks’ decision.
“Here’s a realization of things, too: remember, he was rated by some to be a top-five pick in the draft, so you’re getting a great potential talent… (and) by him being on (the Non-Football Injury list) all year, you are technically going to get him at a discount. He’s already taken a pay cut from a $465,000 base salary to $85,000. You can reclaim a portion of his salary bonus. You also, with the NFI, have him for an additional year.
“If you do cut him, you have to take the proration and move that up at a time that is going to be very tight against the cap. Regardless, you don’t know if he’s going to be able to play. You think he might be able to, but hey, Pete Carroll likes to give chances. We’ll see if he does.”
