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I'm a little surprised by this...From ESPn.com...
Vikings sign Hutchinson to gigantic offer sheetBy Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com


Seattle Seahawks star Steve Hutchinson, designated as a transition free agent by the NFC champions, has signed an offer sheet with the Minnesota Vikings that will make him the highest paid guard in NFL history, ESPN.com has learned.

The offer sheet is for seven years, at $49 million, and includes $16 million in guarantees. Once the offer sheet is executed, Seattle will have seven days to match all its principle terms, or allow Hutchinson to move to the Vikings. If the Seahawks do not match it, they will receive no draft-pick compensation.

How rich is the Vikings' deal, negotiated by Tom Condon and Ken Kremer of IMG Football, for the five-year veteran guard? Consider this: Only three NFL offensive tackles, a position that is always paid much higher than guards, can match Hutchinson's average of $7 million. Larry Allen of Dallas, currently the league's highest-paid guard, averages $6.1 million on his Cowboys contract.

It is believed that, before the start of the free agency period, Seattle was offering Hutchinson an average of $5.8 million per year.

Seattle opted to use the less expensive transition designation on Hutchinson, rather than the franchise tag, and the difference is significant. In most cases, the franchise marker is enough to scare off any suitors, because the level of compensation is a pair of first-round draft choices. The transition label carries no compensation and it is easier for veterans under that marker to attract other teams.

Under the current system, implemented in 1993, just three franchise players have ever switched teams in free agency. During the same period, 18 transition players have changed teams.

By signing Hutchinson to the offer sheet, the Vikings, who entered the free agency period with $30.9 million in available salary cap room, second-most in the league, are remaining aggressive as the club attempts to upgrade the roster under first-year coach Brad Childress. The Vikings broke from the chute quickly on Saturday, either signing or reaching agreements with five players.

Hutchinson, 28, would certainly provide the kind of toughness and mauler's mentality the Vikings have lacked on their offensive line, and would team with tackle Bryant McKinnie to give Minnesota one of the best leftside blocking tandems in the league.

A first-round choice in the 2001 draft, Hutchinson is a three-time Pro Bowl performer. The former University of Michigan star has appeared in 68 games, all of them starts, and has played all 16 games in all but the 2002 campaign. That year, a broken leg limited Hutchinson to four appearances.


Also Denver Resigned Ron Dayne...just to Break Tommy's heart.... ::)

Yeah, the cap charge for 2006 is $13 million.  The Vikings can handle that amount given their ample space.  They probably gave him a huge roster bonus since they, unlike signing bonuses, can't be split up over the life of the contract in terms of their charge against the cap.  The entire roster bonus will count against this year's cap.  They did this to make it hard for Seattle to match.

The Hawks have around $17 million in cap space.  They can match it.  But it'll hamstring them by leaving them with only $4 million more to use in free agency and the draft.

Granted, they can cut other guys to clear up room.  I don't know enough about their roster to know how feasible it is to re-sign Hutchinson.  Bet you they wished they'd used the franchise tag instead the transition tag now though.

Wow!!!  Guards usually don't make that much.  Tackles do. 

No way the Seahawks match this offer. The Vikings are clearly overpaying, but they have the cap space and Seattled exposed themselves to this gambit by not franchising Hutchinson or seeking a trade for him outright.

I'd actually be a bit surprised if Seattle fails to match this offer. Sure, it's expensive, but since Hutch already counts 6.3 against their cap because of the transition tag, Seattle only needs to make up 6.3 million to total the $13 million cap hit for 2006 that a matching offer would require. The 'Hawks can do that... It will make their line a bit cap-heavy, but they can do it.