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February 23, 2011 at 3:17 PM

Seahawks not expected to use franchise tag

INDIANAPOLIS -- The deadline for NFL teams to apply franchise tags is Feb. 24, and for the first time in 10 years, the Seahawks are not expected to use either a franchise or transition tag.

Kicker Olindo Mare was designated as the team's franchise player last year, and signed a one-year offer worth the average of the five highest-paid punters and kickers in the league. Mare was the most likely consideratio n to receive the tag this year, but it appears the Seahawks will not elect to put the tag on him a second consecutive year, which would have required an offer of 120-percent of last year's salary.

Defensive tackle Brandon Mebane is also at the end of his contract, and could have been a consideration. However, the price for defensive tackles is expected to spike, going above $12 million for a one-year offer.

Here's a 10-year synopsis of how the Seahawks have used the franchise and transition tags:

2010	Player	Designation	Price tag
	K Olindo Mare	Franchise tag	$2,814,000
Result: Mare signed his one-year tender and played the season, converting 25 of his 30 field-goal attempts. In three years with Seattle, he has missed a total of 10 attempts.

2009	Player	Designation	Price tag
	LB Leroy Hill	Franchise tag	$8,304,000
Result: Hill did not sign the one-year tender, and after drafting Aaron Curry in April, the Seahawks removed the franchise tag, making Hill an unrestricted free agent. Hill subsequently re-signed with Seattle.

2008	Player	Designation	Price tag
	CB Marcus Trufant	Franchise tag	$9,465,000
Result: Trufant signed a long-term contract in the months following his designation.

2007	Player	Designation	Price tag
	K Josh Brown	Franchise tag	$2,078,000
Result: Brown signed one-year tender, became a free agent in 2008 and signed with St. Louis.

2006	Player	Designation	Price tag
	LG Steve Hutchinson	Transition tag	$6,390,000
Result: Rumor has it this didn't work out so well for Seattle, who took it in the shorts courtesy of the poison-pilled offer sheet Hutchinson signed with Minnesota.

2005	Player	Designation	Price tag
	RB Shaun Alexander	Franchise tag	$8,080,000
Result: Seattle promised Alexander it wouldn't apply the franchise tag again, then watched him run to the league's MVP award and a fat new contract.

2004	Player	Designation	Price tag
	LT Walter Jones	Franchise tag	$7,080,000
Result: Jones missed training camp and then played under the one-year tender for the third consecutive season.

2003	Player	Designation	Price tag
	LT Walter Jones	Franchise tag	$5,734,000
Result: Reported after sitting out training camp for the second consecutive season.

2002	Player	Designation	Price tag
	LT Walter Jones	Franchise tag	$4,920,000
Result: Missed training camp and the first two games before reporting and playing the rest of the season.

2000	Player	Designation	Price tag
	WR Joey Galloway	Franchise tag	$4,100,000
Result: Traded to Dallas for two first-round choices after being designated Seattle's franchise player. Galloway sat out eight regular-season games in 1999, holding out for a new contract. He was ruled a free agent for 2000 in an arbitration hearing.

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