The Seattle Seahawks are expected to have a good chance of winning back-to-back Super Bowls, but the team has tough decisions to make in the offseason.
USA Today recently reported that the Seahawks could make significant moves on their receiving and defensive line options because most of their players are set to hit the free agency market in March.
While the team wants to parade an intact lineup next season, reports indicated that the team will prioritize securing long-term deals with Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman.
The two will not become free agents until 2015, but the Seahawks will look to avoid risk of losing both players when they become free agents after next season.
Thomas, who was the 14th pick during the 2010 NFL Draft, is expected to command a lucrative extension from the Seahawks after having the best season of his NFL career.
The 24-year-old safety had a career-best 105 tackles and five interceptions last season, which were enough for him to merit seven votes during the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year award balloting.
Sherman also deserves a fat extension from the Seahawks after the 25-year-old cornerback led the league in interceptions with eight INTs, which was the same number of interceptions he tallied in 2012.
Signing both Thomas and Sherman to lucrative extension this summer means that their other key players, who are also set to hit free agency, must be willing to take less if they want to stay in Seattle.
Golden Tate, who will become an unrestricted free agent in March, expressed desire to stay in Seattle in hopes of making another Super Bowl run next season.
In an interview with Sports Radio 950 KJR, the 25-year-old wide receiver said that he is willing to give the Seahawks a discount, insisting that he'd rather take less to stay with the Seahawks than have a lucrative deal elsewhere.
"I probably shouldn't even say this right now but I'm going to say it anyway just because I love Seattle, honestly, I would rather take a little less to be happy and win ball games than to take way more and go to a crappy city where the fans don't give a crap about the team," said Tate, who had 64 catches for 898 yards and five touchdowns last season.
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