A league source tells PFT that the Seattle Seahawks have agreed to terms with free-agent kicker Olindo Mare on a two-year, $3.5 million contract.
Mare, who spent 2007 with the New Orleans Saints, had also received an offer from the Denver Broncos. In Seattle he’ll replace Josh Brown, who signed as a free agent with the St. Louis Rams.
Prior to joining the Saints, the 34-year-old Mare had played 10 seasons with the Miami Dolphins. In 2007 he was below average kicking field goals, making 10 of 17 with a long of 52 yards, but solid on kickoffs, booting 28.8 percent of his kicks into the end zone, the second best touchback percentage in the league.
Mare was released by the Saints after he refused to take a pay cut. Considering that his contract with the Saints called for him to make $1.5 million a year the next two seasons and he’ll now make $1.75 million a year, that was the right decision.
March 27th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Now that the Rams have Josh Brown kicking for them, the Seahawks’ last second game winning heroics will end. Remember where you read this: the Seahawks will lose close games next year and get leap-frogged by another team in the NFC West. My guess is the Cardinals.
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March 27th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Waste of money for a guy who can no longer play… I can’t believe he was even coveted by teams. The Seahawks would probably have a better chance at winning if they converted Shaun Alexander into a kicker or the more logical solution drafting a kicker for 1/3 the price.
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March 27th, 2008 at 7:17 pm
WHY? Mare is a terrible field goal kicker these days. You gotta have an accurate kicker and let Mare kick touchbacks. He was 11 for 17 and played in a dome at least half of his games.
He is not accurate. Though he once was. And that stadium has to be a nightmare in comparison.
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March 27th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Additionally, Washington doesn’t have a state income tax. Louisiana has a 6% tax (according to 2004 figures). So over two years, he’s looking at pocketing an extra $680,000 or so. It may be a little different, as I’m not sure how the NFL salaries work for games played in other states, but you get the idea.
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March 27th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Let me get this straight. He couldn’t kick for crap in a dome and now he wants to kick up in Seattle’s weather? God job on that signing ‘Hawks lol.
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March 27th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Too much money for a guy that can’t play anymore…. Truth be told I still can’t figure out how this guy was at all coveted by teams. Seahawks have a better chance at just going for it on fourth down than to trust this guys leg and for 1.75 million a season they could have easily drafted someone for half or 1/3 of the price. How Mare is gonna make that much money does puzzle me but I guess even the garbage man gets lucky once in a while and finds the lottery ticket.
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March 27th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
MDS wrote: “Considering that his contract with the Saints called for him to make $1.5 million a year the next two seasons and he’ll now make $1.75 million a year, that was the right decision.”
Not if he doesn’t even make the team. And as crappy as Mare is, I’m not assuming he’s going to win that job.
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March 27th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Funny… just a few years ago Vanderjagt and Mare were #1 and #2 (NFL history) in FG accuracy. How quickly you can fall.
Gotta make you respect Gary and Morten Anderson and their longevity.
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March 28th, 2008 at 12:31 am
WinkAndGun,
Since I am sitting here in my office doing tax return all night long like I do 10 weeks a year, I can answer that.
The savings isn’t as much. They have to pay taxes on each game check (a little less than 1/16) in the state they play the game in. So they save money for half of that time, but they have to pay CA taxes in SF which can be quite high.
But it is still a significant savings.
Also remember that states with no income tax have higher sales taxes and property taxes. Also most state taxes are deductible on the federal return which helps slightly marginalize things slightly.
One other thing, like in NC, if he lives in a state that does tax him and he plays for Seattle, depending on the state he officially resides in, most states tax his whole income and then credit his tax bill for all the taxes money he pays to the states he doesn’t live in. That way if TX, WA, and FL don’t tax him his home state will tax him anyway.
They all have ways of getting your money. I think Mare lives in Miami still though so he doesn’t have to worry about his state taxing him anyway.
A CPA
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March 28th, 2008 at 7:24 am
I doubt he makes the team. G.M. Ruskell has said that he will sign a veteran FA kicker and get a rookie in the draft, then let them battle it out in training camp. Mare’s guaranteed money is low, so no problem in cutting him.
I’d say any rookie will be better than Mare.
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March 28th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
I am glad Seattle got him instead of my Broncos. Dude blows. He is not worth 1.75 million. How is gonna be good in Seattle’s weather. Good Job Seattle
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