Chris Clemons Re-signs with Seahawks

The Seahawks and Chris Clemons have come to an agreement on a new contract. The terms of the deal have not been announced.

Chris Clemons’ decision to skip a mandatory minicamp won’t cost him $1 million in 2012 salary, after all.

The veteran defensive end reached agreement Monday on a multi-year contract extension to remain with the Seattle Seahawks, according to sources. Contract terms were not immediately known. An announcement was expected Tuesday.

Suffice to say that Clemons, 30, can report to training camp with roster security that didn’t exist previously.

Clemons had been scheduled to earn $4 million in 2012, the final year of his contract. That number fell to $3 million when Clemons missed the mandatory camp thanks to language in the deal Clemons first signed while with Philadelphia in 2008.

Those details will become footnotes now that Clemons has a new deal with Seattle.

2010-2011 NFL Sack Leaders

Rank	Player	Sacks
1	DeMarcus Ware	35.0
2	Jared Allen	33.0
3	Jason Babin	30.5
4	Tamba Hali	26.5
5	Terrell Suggs	25.0
6	John Abraham	22.5
6	Cameron Wake	22.5
8	Chris Clemons	22.0
9	Chris Long	21.5
10	Trent Cole	21.0
10	Jason Pierre-Paul	21.0

Clemons has 11 sacks in each of the Seahawks’ past two seasons, up from 20 in six previous NFL seasons with three teams. At 6-foot-3 and 254 pounds, Clemons fits the pass-rushing role coach Pete Carroll envisioned for him when Seattle traded Darryl Tapp to the Eagles for Clemons and a fourth-round choice in 2010. Clemons has played through injuries and held up better than anticipated against the run.

The Seahawks were the first team to make Clemons a full-time starter. They wanted to keep him beyond the 2012 season despite questions about Clemons’ long-term future following the Seahawks’ selection of pass-rusher Bruce Irvin in the first round this year. While Irvin does project as a potential replacement for Clemons in the “Leo” role, the team now has greater flexibility beyond this season.

ESPN

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Paul Novak

Editor at Seattle Sports Central

I’ve been a huge fan of the Seahawks and Mariners since childhood. Raised in downtown Seattle just minutes from the sports heaven that was the Kingdome. I remember seeing the dust spread over the city from my apartment window when they blew it up. I swear a single tear rolled down my face as I watched. The day either team wins it all will be the day I can die a happy man. Go Hawks!

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