Leroy Hill OKs less pay in 2010
Leroy Hill OKs less pay in 2010
A tumultuous offseason for Seattle Seahawks linebacker Leroy Hill has proved costly in more ways than one.
The former franchise player, already facing a one-game NFL suspension to open the regular season, recently agreed to a salary reduction from $6 million to $2.125 million as part of a deal wiping out the remaining years of his previous contract, according to the NFL Players Association website.
Hill's salary had been guaranteed, but off-field troubles can raise questions about a team's obligations, as when a judge ordered former receiver Charles Rogers to repay $6.1 million in bonus money to the Detroit Lions.
The Seahawks sent a strong message to Hill this offseason by asking him to stay away from team headquarters while a domestic-violence case worked its way through the courts. Hill ultimately accepted a plea agreement that could result in a clean record for him if he stays out of trouble.
Hill's new deal lets him earn back $300,000 in incentives. He also gets a $60,000 roster bonus.
In May 2009, Hill had signed a six-year, $36 million contract featuring a $2 million bonus and base salaries of $5 million and $6 million in the first two years.
The Seattle coaching staff has frequently praised Hill's replacement, David Hawthorne, raising questions about where Hill might fit in the team's longer-range plans. The new deal gives the Seahawks greater flexibility as they determine where Hill fits. Hill gets a chance to prove himself and hit free agency again in March 2011.
