Tru value: Corner makes Pro Bowl, millions of dollars

By Chris Cluff  |   Thursday, December 20, 2007  |  Comments( 0 )

Seattle Seahawks
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It seemed a long time coming, but Jim Mora's hopeful prediction came true this week when Marcus Trufant, Seattle's fifth-year cornerback, was named to his first Pro Bowl.

It is the crowning moment to date for Trufant, the former first-round draft pick who switched back to his more natural left side this year and has dominated most of the receivers he has played against.

When Mora joined the team as secondary coach last offseason, one of his first moves was to switch Trufant back to the left side because "that's where most of the premier corners work. This guy has the ability to be a premier corner."

Mora said it was time for Trufant to become a "shutdown corner that helps us get to and win the Super Bowl. Then, we need to get him across the water (to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl)."

Well, he's on his way. With seven interceptions and lock-down coverage against most foes, Trufant has indeed emerged as a premier corner.

It took awhile. He started on the left side as a rookie, but he moved to the right side and played out of position for three years to protect a right shoulder that required surgery after each of his first two seasons.

Trufant played well on the right side, prompting coach Mike Holmgren to say over the summer, "Marcus has been as consistent a defensive player as we've had here the last couple of years."

But he didn't dominate, as Mora thought he could on the left side. And as soon as Mora moved him back to the left, Trufant immediately showed the ability that had prompted the Seahawks to draft him with the 11th overall pick in 2003. He was one of the standouts of training camp, drawing praise from coaches by sticking tight to all of Seattle's receivers -- Deion Branch, D.J. Hackett, Nate Burleson and Bobby Engram -- and making big plays nearly every day.

He has continued making plays over the course of the first 14 games. He has seven interceptions, which ranks second in the NFL and constitutes as many as he had in the past three years combined. He got three of the picks against Arizona's Kurt Warner in Week 14, when he took one of the catches 84 yards for a touchdown. That was probably the game that secured Trufant's Pro Bowl berth. ... Oh, and his financial future.

As circumstances would have it, Trufant is in his contract year. He probably will receive the franchise designation (unless the Seahawks pull a "Hutch" and fail to do the prudent thing), which would guarantee him something like $8 million for the 2008 season. The Seahawks reportedly have tried to re-sign him, with no luck so far.

The benchmark for cornerback contracts is the one signed by Nate Clements when he became a San Francisco 49er last March. His deal was reported as $80 million over eight years but is effectively worth about $53 million over six years, with $22 million guaranteed. And that is probably where Trufant's agent will start.

The Seahawks likely will look to the Chicago Bears, who signed both corners to extensions earlier this year: Nathan Vasher for $28 million over five years, with $14 million guaranteed; and Charles Tillman for $41.5 million over six years, with $18.5 million in bonuses. The guess here is that Trufant will get a contract worth $45 million over six years, with as much as $20 million guaranteed.

But that is all part of the business of next March. Before that, Trufant has a postseason to play (he missed the playoffs last season with a sprained ankle). Then he'll head to Hawaii for that long-awaited Pro Bowl.
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About Chris Cluff

Chris Cluff spent 10 years as an editor and sportswriter for The Seattle Times. He was a key figure in the newspaper's coverage of the Seahawks, particularly during their Super Bowl run in 2005. He also has written two books on the Seahawks: "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Heart-Pounding, ...
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