The Seahawks front office doesn't have to release a statement admitting they messed up by signing Shaun Alexander to an eight-year, $62 million deal back in 2006 -- that's as obvious as Matt Hasselbeck's bald melon -- but now the question is this: what becomes of Alexander after the team gives him the ol' pink slip?
ESPN's Matt Mosley and FOXSports.com's John Czarnecki are already speculating on some potential landing spots. Here's Mosley's take:
Does Alexander still have a place in this league? Oh, I suppose so, but you get the feeling that he's lost the desire now that his skills are in full retreat. He's had an excellent career, but he never displayed the passion that fans yearned for. When he struggled the past two seasons, they wanted to see the pain on his face.As a Steelers fan, I'd love the idea of him going to the Bengals. Carson Palmer is harder to bring down. I suppose some team would take a chance on Alexander, and maybe he'll even get more than the veteran minimum (although I don't know what he's done recently to deserve it, but whatever).
But that's not the way Alexander's wired. He could go somewhere and be a backup (Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Cincinnati), but his days as a feature back have come and gone.
But as Michael David Smith pointed out, Alexander is a 3.5 yard-per-carry back at this stage of his career and not much more. If you're a head coach who's big on punting, then, well, Alexander's your man. Otherwise, he's probably be better off retiring.
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Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 1)
1. why dont you try carrying a ball with 300 pound men hurling themselves at you at full speed and see how you make out. oh yeah...and you dont get any blockers either. have fun.
Posted at 6:04AM on Mar 12th 2008 by Joe
2. Ryan Wilson just lost all my respect. Alexander is one of the greatest RB's in NFL history and your going to hate on him like that. He is a great player, but more importantly a great human being. You showed your character by hitting a guy when he is down. Way to have balls and say shit when he was the MVP of the league and carried his team to the Super Bowl. Your a real man!
Posted at 3:25PM on Mar 12th 2008 by Buvi Duvi
3. Alexander is the best running back in franchise history. Were his best years due, in part, to Steve Hutchinson and Walter Jones? Yes. But he still had the talent to make the most of a great offensive line. The way he fell down at the first sign of contact drove me crazy, but he definetely doesn't desrve the bashing he's gotten from the Seahawks "fans".
Posted at 3:47AM on Mar 16th 2008 by Ryan
4. First off, why the hell is AOL having a freaking Steeler fan write for their Seahawks page? Although your admission of your allegence at least explains your ignorance on the topic of the Seahawks and Shaun Alexander.
How about you just go back and stand in line to sip from the drool bucket of Coach Cowher, and dream about the "one for the thumb" delivered courtesy of Bill Leavy and crew.
Posted at 11:47AM on Mar 17th 2008 by alba