Reports: Seahawks, Clemons reach multi-year deal

By Brady Henderson

The Seahawks and defensive end Chris Clemons have reached an agreement on a multi-year contract extension, according to multiple reports.

According to ESPN.com NFC West blogger Mike Sando, who first reported the agreement, an announcement is expected Tuesday.

Clemons, 30, led the Seahawks with 11 sacks in each of the last two seasons but skipped most of the team’s offseason workouts due to frustration over his contract. Clemons is entering the final year of his deal, which the Seahawks inherited when they acquired Clemons in a trade with the Eagles before the 2010 season.

Clemons forfeited a $100,000 workout bonus and was subject to at least $60,000 in cumulative fines for missing the mandatory three-day minicamp last month. And according to ESPN’s John Clayton, he also forfeited an escalator in his contract that had bumped his 2012 salary from $3 million to $4 million.

That won’t matter now that he has a new deal.

Financial terms aren’t known, but Clemons’ agent told several reporters that a deal has been reached. According to Danny O’Neil of The Seattle Times, the deal “likely runs through the 2014 season.” In terms of length, that would be consistent with the deal the Seahawks reportedly offered Clemons earlier this offseason. According to Len Pasquarelli of The SportsXchange, Clemons had previously rejected the team’s offer of a new three-year, $18 million deal.

The Seahawks drafted pass rusher Bruce Irvin 15th overall with the hopes that he would someday succeed Clemons as the “Leo” in Pete Carroll’s defense. In the meantime, they envisioned Clemons serving as a mentor to Irvin while the two terrorized quarterbacks from opposite ends of the Seahawks’ defensive line.

With Clemons’ contract situation resolved, that plan appears to be intact.