Seahawks keep K Hauschka with three-year deal

Steven Hauschka is staying in Seattle. (USATSI)

More NFL offseason: Mock Drafts | Prospect Rankings | Pro Days | Top free agents

A lot can change in a decade. Ten years ago, Steven Hauschka had never played organized football, now he's the Seahawks placekicker of the future. The 28-year-old signed a new deal with the team on Monday that will keep him in Seattle through the 2016 season.

Hauschka's new contract will pay him $9.15 million over the three years and includes $3.35 million in guaranteed money, according to NFL.com. With an average annual salary of $3.05 million, Hauschka is now one of the 12 kickers in the league who have cracked the $3 million annual salary mark.

"We're extremely excited to be able to re-sign Steven, especially after the incredibly successful season that he had," Seahawks general manager John Schneider said in a statement.

That incredibly successful season included two game-winning kicks in overtime and a perfect 8-for-8 showing during Seattle's playoff run. Hauschka went 3-for-3 in the Seahawks 23-15 divisional round playoff win over New Orleans, then followed that up with a 3-for-3 performance in Seattle's 23-17 NFC title game win over San Francisco.

Hauschka's overtime game-winners came iN Week 4 against the Texans and in Week 9 against the Buccaneers. The overtime field goal against Tampa Bay capped a 21-point comeback for Seattle, the largest in franchise history.

Not a bad season for a guy who didn't kick his first football until after his freshman year at Middlebury College.

"I walked on at Middlebury as a sophomore after my roommate told me the football team needed a kicker," Hauschka told the Seahawks official website. "I had to ask the guys on the team how to put the pads on, and how to slip the jersey over the pads. So it's a funny experience to think that I'm here now."

NFL Hot News

Ravens WR Steve Smith sees himself as a 'complementary dude'



Steve Smith will have no problem accepting his role with the Ravens. Torrey Smith is the lead dog in Baltimore's wide receiver group. The elder Smith is no longer considered a No. 1 option, and that's fine with him. He knows exactly where he lies in offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak's system."I don't see myself in Coach Kubiak's system like [Texans wide receiver] Andre Johnson," Smith told the Ravens official website. "I see the complementary dude of [former Texans wide receiver] Kevin Walter."[Kubiak] used a lot of guys in his system, and I wanted to go into a system that I could be utilized but I could also benefit from other great players."



This meshes with my expectations for Smith: He is probably a low-end WR3 in 12-team leagues. He is crucial to the Ravens' offense and their success, but fantasy owners shouldn't pay for his name value. In 2007 and 2008, Walter put up about 60 receptions and 800-900 yards as the No. 2 wide receiver in Kubiak's offense. I think Smith will be more productive, but not much more.