With only four teams in remaining in the playoffs it means one of two things. One, Brett Favre is this much closer to a Super Bowl, but at the same time that much closer to another off season of "am I retired? I don't even know what that word means". Two, it means that free agency is inching closer and closer which starts the best time of the year.Speculation time.
However with the NFL's collective bargaining agreement still i limbo not to many free agents know their status, in terms of restricted or unrestricted free agents.
One of those lucky free agents to be, Green Bay Packers OLB/DE Aaron Kampman is most likely going to become an unrestricted free agent come March 1st. Yes that's a little less than three months away but the time goes by fast.
Kampman, a product of Cedar Rapids Iowa and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes could be a target for the newly reconstructed Seattle Seahawks organization led by Pete Carroll and newly hired GM John Schneider, a former front office executive of the Green Bay Packers.
Now some people might question the move from the Seahawks point of view with Lofa Tatupu, Leroy Hill, Aaron Curry and David Hawthorne already in the Seahawks linebacking corps.
Well on paper and to the average scout or fan it might seem like the Seahawks wouldn't sign any linebacker but indepth it's not that clear.
Lofa Tatupu, a three time consecutive pro bowler missed the majority of 2009 with a torn pectoral muscle but should be completely recovered for next season.
Lofa signed a six year $42 million dollar contract last year so there is absolutely no truth to the random rumors about him being traded, especially not with Pete Carroll running the show.
Aaron Curry had an average rookie season but has a lot of work still ahead of him before he can reach that top tier level of linebackers in the NFL. Curry missed the last two games of the season due to injury but it was nothing serious.
Curry could fit in as a rush DE if the Seahawks move to a 3-4 defensive scheme. However even though Pete Carroll said he likes the 4-3, he's scheme sounds more like a 46 defense and not a 4-3. Either way Curry will be a starting linebacker in 2010 for Pete Carroll.
David Hawthorne did a phenomenal job filling in for Lofa Tatupu at middle linebacker racking up 117 total tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles and three interceptions. However with Lofa coming back in 2010 Hawthorne will most likely move around or stand up next to Tatupu in a possible 3-4 defense. Either way I see Hawthorne coming back in 2010 and beyond.
Leroy Hill is almost done as a Seahawk. Now nothing is official but with Hill having a down season right after he was questionably rewarded with a six year $36 million dollar contract last year it leaves the door wide open for the Seahawks to package him for another player that would fill a need and also be productive.
So getting back to Kampman, the question would be posed. Why bring in a 30 year old veteran on a crowded linebacking corps?
Well there are three reasons why I see Aaron Kampman being a nice fit on a one year contract to prove himself that he can still play at a high level.
1) Mentoring the young linebackers and defensive ends on the team. Right now the Seahawks have a lot of young talent in the front seven. Tatupu, Curry, Hawthorne, Jackson, Tapp as well as others. Kampman could come in and teach these young guys how to help find their roles and improve them at their positions as well as bring in his own talent.
For example ESPN had a piece on Colts wide receiver Reggie Wayne and how he's helped Pierre Garcon and Austin Collie become more complete wide receivers as well has helping them grow off the field.
It would be the same for Kampman. He would be able to help the Seahawks defense from a pass rushing stand point at a low one year cost and also be able to help the younger defensive ends and linebackers grow as NFL players.
2) The Seahawks can use some help at linebacker and defensive end. Kampman would not be the every down answer for the Seahawks at defensive end like say a Julius Peppers would be but knowing that Kampman is versatile and can stand up at outside linebacker as well as be a pass rushing defensive end it bods well for the Seahawks to at least give him a shot on a one year deal.
Kampman finished 2009 with 42 tackles and 3.5 sacks before he missed the rest of the season after week 11 with a knee injury.
For the Seahawks it's a good move and in a way its a money ball move. Plus knowing how well Pete Carroll is defensively he'll find any way to use Kampman.
3) The Seahawks could use some veteran presents on defense. Outside of Lofa Tatupu I can't recall a true leader on the Seahawks defense so brining in a proven veteran who as I said above can help the younger players as well as bring his own bread to the table is always helpful in the NFL.
Patrick Kerney is done and he wasn't really a true leader more as a motivator. So Kampman would be replacing Kerney in a sense if the Seahawks decide to cut ties with him or Leroy Hill.
However there is another major part in this Kampman idea. The Seahawks would first have to part ways with one of or both Patrick Kerney and Leroy Hill in order to make a position open for Kampman. He can play both Hill and Kerney's position so if the Seahawks decide to move on from Hill and Kerney then Kampman would be a nice replacement.
I would like to note that this is not a report more as an interesting idea that could benefit the Seahawks in the short term and also long term. With free agency still a few months away a lot has to happen in order for anything to come true.
It is an intriguing idea about having Kampman in Seattle.
You can follow Lars at Twitter http://twitter.com/larshanson
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