The Seattle Seahawks inked edge rusher Frank Clark to a $17.1 million dollar franchise tag, cutting into their already thin budget heading into what will be a busy offseason.
Seattle still has 14 unrestricted free agents to tend to, including big time players like free safety Earl Thomas, linebacker K.J. Wright, running back Mike Davis and cornerback Justin Coleman, among many others.
However, with contract extensions looming for quarterback Russell Wilson and defensive tackle Jarran Reed, Seattle will need to save some cash if they want all their big playmakers to stick around long-term.
One player that they have a tough decision on is right guard D.J. Fluker.
Fluker was a huge piece of Seattle’s rapidly improved offensive line last season, showing off proficiency as a run-blocker and helping dynamic running back Chris Carson rush for over 1,100 yards in his first full season.
However, a late-season injury called his durability into question, and gave rise to undrafted Jordan Simmons to step up and handle the responsibilities quite admirably – until he suffered an injury of his own.
Seattle no doubt wants to have a healthy Fluker back in the mix next year, but injury issues and a potentially high price tag could make a reunion difficult. The rise of Simmons is worth noting as well, although Seattle probably wants to see more out of him before giving him a starting job.
What do you think Seattle should do with Fluker?
