Golden Tate has no clue what his future holds. The wide receiver has said multiple times that he intends on re-signing with the Seattle Seahawks, but so far no progress has been made in the effort. With the March 11 deadline approaching to get free agents under contract before they hit the market, Tate is realizing that he might not be a priority for the defending Super Bowl champions.
Tate talked with the Seattle Times about his status with the team. The wide receiver would not say whether there have been negotiations between the two sides, only stating that time will tell if he is back with the Seahawks or playing elsewhere. If they fail to get a contract done with Tate, he is certain to grab a lot of attention.
"I did the tough part, and that's performing on the field," Tate said, via the Seattle Times. "And hopefully, I can call Seattle home for a few more years. But we'll see. I know that coach [Pete] Carroll has expressed that he would like to have me on the team, and I have expressed that I would like to stay on this team because I see this team winning for a long time. But we will see. Only time will tell."
The Philadelphia Eagles started the market for the worth of wide receivers that are not No. 1 guys. They inked Cooper to a five-year, $25 million deal with $10 million in guaranteed money. Tate falls into the same category as Cooper and will be expecting a similar deal. Last season, Tate put up 898 yards, leading the team, while Cooper had 835 yards and eight touchdowns.
Seattle could be out of the market for the receiver considering they still have to sign several players including an extension for quarterback Russell Wilson. The team has 16 free agents in total. They are expected to release Sidney Rice which saves some money, but not a lot.
So if Tate hits the market, who comes calling? The New York Jets could be an option. The team is expecting to release Santonio Holmes and will be in the market for a new receiver threat. With Jeremy Maclin looking poised to stay with the Philadelphia Eagles and Cooper also off the market, Tate could be their guy. There is also the chance that the Pittsburgh Steelers or the New England Patriots target Tate depending on the status of Emmanuel Sanders.
Tate has said he would consider giving the hometown discount, but the way he is talking, leaving the Seahawks might actually be what ends up happening.
