Bruce Irvin hopes to play for Seahawks ‘another 4 or 5 years’

There’s been a great deal of speculation about Bruce Irvin’s future with the Seahawks, especially after some prickly comments he reportedly made in the offseason. But the former first rounder reiterated his commitment to Seattle Wednesday on 710 ESPN’s “Danny, Dave and Moore.”

“I hope I’m here,” he said. “I’m from Atlanta. I’d probably get asked for a hundred-plus tickets a game if I went back to Atlanta. I would rather stay here. These are the guys who gave me a chance, took a risk on me when nobody else would, so I would love to be here another four or five years.”

That doesn’t mean Irvin’s words are being taken as gospel. Irvin is in a contract year and in the midst of transitioning to linebacker from defensive end, a more lucrative position in the open market.

Irvin spoke at length about his desire to rush the passer and tally more sacks, but the Seahawks’ starters on the D-line are solid with the dominant Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril, who signed a four-year extension this offseason. Reading between the lines, Danny O’Neil and company were skeptical of the truth in Irvin’s commitment to Seattle, believing the reluctant linebacker will be spending his last season with the Hawks.

“You’re going to find someone that’s going to be interested in having him be a defensive end… and that’s just not his future here,” O’Neil said. “He’s a strong-side linebacker who gets occasional reps at defensive end in their nickel pass rush.”

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