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After the Seahawks signed linebacker Chad Brown as a free agent in 1997, then-vice president of football operations Randy Mueller allowed himself a congratulatory moment.
“There’s no question this is the best signing we’ve ever had,” Mueller said.
Mueller should know, because he’d been with the team since 1983. Plan B free agency didn’t begin until 1989 and the current system started in 1993.
And Brown did nothing to let Mueller and the team down. He led the team in tackles for three consecutive seasons, was voted to the Pro Bowl twice and put up numbers during his eight-season stay in Seattle that rank among the Top 5 all-time in tackles (fourth, 744), sacks (fifth, 48), fumble recoveries (third, 13) and fumble returns for a touchdown (first, 3).
But that watershed signing of Brown happened 15 year ago. Has the club added a free agent since that would make Mueller alter his assessment? (You tell us below…)
Here, in chronological order, are a dozen candidates – including Brown, of course:
LB Chad Brown (1997) – see above.
QB Warren Moon (1997) – He started 24 games in two seasons, posting an 11-13 record. In ’97, he passed for 3,678 yards (third-highest in club history) and 25 touchdowns, including a club record-tying five in a 409-yard passing performance against the Raiders – three weeks shy of his 41st birthday.
RB Ricky Watters (1998) – He led the team in rushing for three consecutive seasons (1998-2000) and his 4,009 yards rank No. 5 on the team’s all-time list. He also scored 22 rushing touchdowns, which also ranks No. 5, and averaged 51 receptions from ’98-2000.
OL Chris Gray (1998) – Signed to add depth to the offensive line, he started 145 games in 11 seasons – at three different positions (center, right guard and left guard). Including in his unexpected run were a club-record 121 consecutive starts from 1999-2006.
P Jeff Feagles (1998) – He was one of the best directional punters in the league during his five-year stint with the Seahawks. He ranks second on the club’s all-time list in career punts (385) and third in career average (42.1 yards). He averaged 44.1 yards in 1998 and had 34 punts downed inside the 20 in 1999.
C Robbie Tobeck (2000) – Like Brown, Tobeck was voted to the 35th Anniversary team. He started 88 games from 2000-06 and was the QB of the line during the team’s run of winning the division title four consecutive seasons (2004-07) and advancing to the playoffs five years in a row (2003-07).
WR Bobby Engram (2001) – He holds the club record for receptions in a season (94 in 2007) and was the leading receiver on the 2005 Super Bowl team. Engram, who was voted to the 35th Anniversary team as the third wide-out, ranks fifth in career receptions (399) and fourth in receiving yards (4,859).
DT John Randle (2001) – He played the final two seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Seahawks, and made the most of them. Randle led the team in sacks in 2001 (11), when he was voted to the Pro Bowl; as well as in 2002 (7).
WR-KR Nate Burleson (2006) – Voted to the 35th Anniversary team as the punt returner, Burleson also finished second on the team in receptions in 2009 (63) and 2007 (50). He is the club record-holder in career punt returns (125) and return yardage (1,288), and had scoring returns of 94 and 90 yards.
LB Julian Peterson (2006) – He was voted to the Pro Bowl in each of this three seasons with the Seahawks (2006-08) and had 19½ sacks in his first two seasons, including team-leading 10 in 2006. He also averaged 83 tackles.
DE Patrick Kerney (2007) – He led the NFC with 14½ sacks in 2007, when he also was voted to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro. Injuries limited him to 16 starts combined in the next two seasons, but he still led the team in sacks in 2009 (five). He’s also the reason Grant Wistrom, Bryce Fisher and Chike Okeafor didn’t make this list.
K Olindo Mare (2008) – He has been the team’s leading scorer in each of his first three seasons with the Seahawks, and holds the franchise record for consecutive field goals made (30 in 2009-10). His mark is the sixth-longest in NFL history, and 14 more than the second-best streak in club history.
The other 11 are definitely worth considering. But better than Brown? You make the call.
View This Poll
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Source: Seahawks.com
“There’s no question this is the best signing we’ve ever had,” Mueller said.
Mueller should know, because he’d been with the team since 1983. Plan B free agency didn’t begin until 1989 and the current system started in 1993.
And Brown did nothing to let Mueller and the team down. He led the team in tackles for three consecutive seasons, was voted to the Pro Bowl twice and put up numbers during his eight-season stay in Seattle that rank among the Top 5 all-time in tackles (fourth, 744), sacks (fifth, 48), fumble recoveries (third, 13) and fumble returns for a touchdown (first, 3).
But that watershed signing of Brown happened 15 year ago. Has the club added a free agent since that would make Mueller alter his assessment? (You tell us below…)
Here, in chronological order, are a dozen candidates – including Brown, of course:
LB Chad Brown (1997) – see above.
QB Warren Moon (1997) – He started 24 games in two seasons, posting an 11-13 record. In ’97, he passed for 3,678 yards (third-highest in club history) and 25 touchdowns, including a club record-tying five in a 409-yard passing performance against the Raiders – three weeks shy of his 41st birthday.
RB Ricky Watters (1998) – He led the team in rushing for three consecutive seasons (1998-2000) and his 4,009 yards rank No. 5 on the team’s all-time list. He also scored 22 rushing touchdowns, which also ranks No. 5, and averaged 51 receptions from ’98-2000.
OL Chris Gray (1998) – Signed to add depth to the offensive line, he started 145 games in 11 seasons – at three different positions (center, right guard and left guard). Including in his unexpected run were a club-record 121 consecutive starts from 1999-2006.
P Jeff Feagles (1998) – He was one of the best directional punters in the league during his five-year stint with the Seahawks. He ranks second on the club’s all-time list in career punts (385) and third in career average (42.1 yards). He averaged 44.1 yards in 1998 and had 34 punts downed inside the 20 in 1999.
C Robbie Tobeck (2000) – Like Brown, Tobeck was voted to the 35th Anniversary team. He started 88 games from 2000-06 and was the QB of the line during the team’s run of winning the division title four consecutive seasons (2004-07) and advancing to the playoffs five years in a row (2003-07).
WR Bobby Engram (2001) – He holds the club record for receptions in a season (94 in 2007) and was the leading receiver on the 2005 Super Bowl team. Engram, who was voted to the 35th Anniversary team as the third wide-out, ranks fifth in career receptions (399) and fourth in receiving yards (4,859).
DT John Randle (2001) – He played the final two seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the Seahawks, and made the most of them. Randle led the team in sacks in 2001 (11), when he was voted to the Pro Bowl; as well as in 2002 (7).
WR-KR Nate Burleson (2006) – Voted to the 35th Anniversary team as the punt returner, Burleson also finished second on the team in receptions in 2009 (63) and 2007 (50). He is the club record-holder in career punt returns (125) and return yardage (1,288), and had scoring returns of 94 and 90 yards.
LB Julian Peterson (2006) – He was voted to the Pro Bowl in each of this three seasons with the Seahawks (2006-08) and had 19½ sacks in his first two seasons, including team-leading 10 in 2006. He also averaged 83 tackles.
DE Patrick Kerney (2007) – He led the NFC with 14½ sacks in 2007, when he also was voted to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro. Injuries limited him to 16 starts combined in the next two seasons, but he still led the team in sacks in 2009 (five). He’s also the reason Grant Wistrom, Bryce Fisher and Chike Okeafor didn’t make this list.
K Olindo Mare (2008) – He has been the team’s leading scorer in each of his first three seasons with the Seahawks, and holds the franchise record for consecutive field goals made (30 in 2009-10). His mark is the sixth-longest in NFL history, and 14 more than the second-best streak in club history.
The other 11 are definitely worth considering. But better than Brown? You make the call.
View This Poll
survey software
Source: Seahawks.com
