Sorry for the delay on this, I've been meaning to get to it but kept posting crap on twitter instead of putting together paragraphs. Mea culpa. So, here are a few thoughts on Marshall and his potential costs... Shall we?

Point One: Brandon Marshall is a top 4 receiving talent in the NFL. I would argue top 3, but considering what Calvin Johnson has done with the Lions behind him, we'll call them 3A and 3B. His phenomenal talent has strangely become a backburner issue in the media discussion, I think largely because we take that fact for granted. It is not every day that you can get a Top 4 player at any position, but especially one of dire need. That leads me to...

Point Two: Wide receiver is a position of dire need for the Seahawks. Not only did we lose Nate Burleson, but the best WR on our team is approaching his mid-30s and was unimpressive last year. The best way to get true value out of Houshmandzadeh is to bring in someone better to pull the double teams. Look at Housh's production in Cincinnati with OchoCinco, and imagine him with a better talent across the field. Bringing in Marshall would also give the team a better ability to analyze Deon Butler and see the things he can do. Look for Bates to use him in the same way he used Eddie Royal in 2008, again, across from Marshall.

Point Three: Brandon Marshall is an absolute headcase. At least, he has been. We've been trained over the last few years not to even consider these guys, they were never going to be an option for Ruskell. There's a new sheriff in town, and it's a guy who has worked directly with troubled men and teens for much of the last ten years, someone who has seen the pain that Marshall's been through. Now, Marshall has still been a complete idiot, there is no excuse for his behavior, but it's clear that he was traumatized by Williams' shooting. He might deserve another shot, if the price is right...

Point Four: What's the price? This is the key question. I want to break it down into a few possibilities... follow me?

PFT and Adam Schefter of ESPN are reporting that the Cleveland Browns have acquired Seneca Wallace. He will be the #2 QB for sure on the depth chart of the Browns. This also signals the end of Derek Anderson or Brady Quinn's tenure with the Browns. Read the whole article here. Other terms of the deal are not yet known. This makes sense for the Hawks and will make it hard for the Hawks to pass on a QB in the draft. In all likelihood we probably got a 3rd or 4th round draft pick.

Update: Sounds like it's a 2011 Pick. That probably means it's a bit higher than he's worth (3rd or 4th), but it also sucks booty this year when we need picks badly. Still, gotta love acquiring future picks rather than throwing them away.

Mike Florio with PFT.com, just posted a video segment regarding the NFC West. I tend to agree with Mike on this one. The Cardinals have lost some key roster spots the past few months and may not be the tough team to beat in the NFC West anymore. The Rams are still in rebuild mode and probably will be at that spot for the next 4-5 years. The 49ers look great on paper but without a great QB, they will still be the same ole 49ers. They might post a record of 8-8 or 9-7 at best this next year. The Hawks have the only veteran QB in the whole NFC West and potential new starters like Brandon Marshall could help the team out. Bottom line: The NFC West is completely wide open this next year. One of the teams will host a Wildcard home playoff game during the playoffs.

Go Hawks!!!!!!!

Shall we?

• Leigh Bodden has been in contact with Seattle. He's currently in Houston meeting with Kubiak and the crew.
• Could Mike Bell fit the bill for what the Hawks are needing?
• The Brandon Marshall saga continues. The Broncos are trying to drive up his price, saying they will not take anything less than a first. That's not true though, and pretty much everyone knows it. The Bengals are now talking internally according to Schefter, but Bengals beat man Joe Reedy says that's mostly "a smoke screen."

Tim Tebow has revealed that he will be holding private workouts with the Seahawks and Buffalo Bills in addition to his Pro Day. This isn't a huge shock, as both teams are clearly in the market for an heir apparent at the quarterback position. As a reminder (from NFL.com blogs):

Tebow said he has been working out with new Arizona State offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone and reigning CFL Coach of the Year Marc Trestman of the Montreal Alouettes. Mazzone is teaching Tebow the numbered offensive system, and Trestman is working with the QB on the West Coast offense. Those two systems are the dominant offensive passing schemes in the NFL.

Few believe that Tebow can actually fully alter his mechanics, but no one can question the fact that the kid wins. If he's in the middle-late rounds, why not?

Recent New Orleans Saints restricted free agent running back Mike Bell will be visiting Seattle on Monday, PFT reports.

Bell is a monster on the goal line, and signing him would give the Seahawks the flexibility to dodge the draft as far as running backs go. They could still take a back, but their hands won't be forced. Bell could simply come in as a short yardage back, or he has the strength and speed to be successful for 10-15 carries a game.

While he is a restricted free agent, signing him would cost the Seahawks nothing (save for his contract), as the Saints tendered him with the lowest available tender - "right of first refusal." They would have a week to meet any offer made by the Hawks or any other team, but failure to meet that offer results in them earning nothing from the new team.

If the Seahawks want Brandon Marshall, they appear willing to bide their time.

ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that the Denver receiver's visit to Seattle today is intended to be the first step of a possibly long process, not to tender an offer as previously anticipated. It appears the visit is more of the "get to know each other" variety, rather than having anyone rush into an agreement that could possibly cost the Seahawks the No.6-overall draft choice.

So, this process is going to take longer than we originally thought, regardless of its outcome. The Seahawks' front office is playing this one smart, and making sure they know what they're getting themselves into before appearing desperate and getting Marshall's name on the roster before anything else. (This may or may not have anything to do with a guy named Tim Ruskell not running the show anymore here. Just maybe.)

This works out better for all parties involved, and I like the approach being taken. I still think the deal will eventually get done, but probably a week or so down the road. Maybe longer. This will be an intriguing story to watch, especially if other teams get thrown in the mix.

In a brief bit of other news, Schefter is also reporting now that Saints RB Mike Bell and Patriots TE Chris Baker will be coming to visit the team's headquarters in the coming week. Bell would be a welcome replacement to Julius Jones.

The reports coming out of Cleveland this morning suggest that Mike Holmgren and the Browns might be interested in acquiring backup QB Seneca Wallace from the Seahawks. If the Seahawks plan to draft a quarterback in the first round this year, Seneca is more likely than not dead weight; he appeared to regress under Mora and Knapp last year (but then, who didn't?), and Holmgren might think he can get a great player at a great bargain.

Of course, the article doesn't mention that as a coach Holmgren was unable to figure out how to get Wallace involved in the offense. Perhaps he views the recently re-signed Josh Cribbs as too valuable a resource to risk on Wildcat plays and hopes to swap out Seneca? It's also possible that Wallace could compete in Cleveland for the starting job and with his chief competition being Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, he could very well win that job.

Compensation? I would think somewhere between a third and fifth round pick... what do you think?

While the talk of the town in Seattle is Brandon Marshall joining the NFC West, another prolific receiver has just left it.

Per Adam Schefter's Twitter:

Done deal: Arizona trades WR Anquan Boldin and a 2010 fifth-round pick to Baltimore for Ravens' 2010 third- and fourth-round picks.

Arizona will certainly be a different team next year with the loss of both Kurt Warner and now Anquan Boldin, and the Ravens just got better on offense.

Never a dull moment in free agency, even in a recently dull division.

UPDATE: The Cardinals have also lost LB Karlos Dansby to the Dolphins, which is a definite blow to their defense. That'd be the equivalent of the Seahawks losing Lofa Tatupu. The NFC West is getting wide open again.