Seahawks solidify the middle: Lofa Tatupu signs

KIRKLAND — The cornerstone of Seattle's defense found himself in a familiar position Friday.

In the middle.

That's the spot linebacker Lofa Tatupu occupied in the Seahawks' defense since being drafted in the second round in 2005.

And it's the spot Tatupu will occupy for the foreseeable future after agreeing to a contract that totals $42 million and runs through 2015.

In the middle. That's where Tatupu figures in Seattle's plans for the future and it's also where he sat Friday, coach Mike Holmgren on his left and President Tim Ruskell to his right.

"We've come to an agreement on a long-term contract that will essentially make him a Seahawk for life," Ruskell said.

This is significant in Seattle, where the free-agent departure of Steve Hutchinson in 2006 still stings, where the future of Shaun Alexander remains a question and the free-agent negotiations with cornerback Marcus Trufant could be compared to molasses in two ways: slow and sticky.

No drama over Tatupu's future. No question. The Seahawks negotiated a new deal with Tatupu's agent, Fletcher Smith, two years before the current contract would expire. It's believed it will be one of the three largest contracts for a middle linebacker.

"I don't want to be anywhere else," Tatupu said. "I'm more than happy here. I don't know what else you could ask for."

Tatupu was the second player Seattle drafted after Ruskell became president, and he became a prime example of Ruskell's eye for talent on the defensive side of the ball.

Seattle picked Tatupu in the second round, 45th overall. The 6-foot, 223-pounder was considered a few inches shorter than the size NFL teams like their middle linebackers to be, perhaps a step slow to be a first-day draft selection. At least that was the conventional wisdom, which says Ruskell reached to fill a need.

That reach turned out to be one heck of a grab. Tatupu has started every game since he came to Seattle, played his way into three Pro Bowls and made Ruskell proud to have picked him.

"I'll look back at this one as one of my favorite of all time," Ruskell said.

That puts Tatupu in good company alongside players like Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber, all of whom were drafted by Ruskell when he was in Tampa Bay.

Tatupu was runner-up to Shawne Merriman as defensive rookie of the year in 2005, and he's only the second Seahawk to make three Pro Bowls in his first three seasons. Fredd Young was the other.

Most important for Seattle's success, Tatupu put a stop to the revolving door that was Seattle's middle-linebacker position.

The Seahawks tried all sorts of solutions in the six years since Holmgren arrived in 1999. For six consecutive seasons Seattle began the season with a new starter at middle linebacker: Anthony Simmons. George Koonce. Levon Kirkland. Isaiah Kacyvenski. Randall Godfrey. Orlando Huff.

"We had some people in here in attempting to find the right person," Holmgren said. "We did it in free agency, we tried drafting and so on. But players like Lofa, they don't come around all the time. He's a special young man and a special player."

One the Seahawks were determined to hold on to.

"He's one of those core guys," Ruskell said. "A Matt Hasselbeck. A Walter Jones. Well, then, you've got to put Lofa in that category as well. He just is kind of what you're identified as for your football team and our defense."

Four players restructured their contracts to give Seattle the salary-cap room to make the deal: Patrick Kerney, Deon Grant, Craig Terrill and Jordan Babineaux.

After that deal, Holmgren said there is only one regret: He didn't get Tatupu any earlier in his coaching tenure with Seattle.

"I won't be here with him quite long enough," Holmgren said. "I wish I had met him about 15 years ago because he's that type of young man, that type of player."

Danny O'Neil: 206-464-2364 or doneil@seattletimes.com