Jason La Canfora reports that Seahawks impending free agent OT Russell Okung sent out an email to all 32 NFL teams on Wednesday updating his status.
Okung still plans on representing himself in free agency, which he announced last year.
Regarding his shoulder injury, Okung mentioned that he will undergo surgery to repair his dislocation and should be cleared to return full activity in five months, per La Canfora.
Okung expressed a desire to speak to interested teams as soon as possible, even though teams can’t contact another team’s free agent until the legal tampering window opens, per La Canfora.
Okung previously mentioned in an article for the Players Tribune that he plans to negotiate his next contract on his own and without the help of an agent.
“[B]ecause I know I’m more than adequate without representation, I’m betting on myself,” writes Okung. “…I know my worth. I can look at the market and go directly to a team without an agent and tell that team my worth. And I can do so with confidence because I’ve done my research, I’ve educated myself and I’ve questioned the answers I’ve been given. And when it comes to reviewing the details of my next deal, I’ll hire an expert — a lawyer or a sports attorney who understands the dynamic of football contracts — to read the paperwork. I’ll negotiate a one-time flat fee that isn’t dependent on the size of my salary.”
Okung, 27, played out his six-year, $48.5 million contract that included $30 million guaranteed. He made a base salary of $4.8 million for the 2015 season and is in line to test the open market in the coming months.
In 2015, Okung appeared in 13 games for the Seahawks and was rated by Pro Football Focus as the No. 26 offensive tackle of 76 qualifying players.
We have Okung featured in our Top 50 – 2016 Free Agents list.
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