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Danny O'Neil covers the Seahawks for The Seattle Times.

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August 31, 2010 at 11:11 AM

Linebacker Leroy Hill's contract re-worked

Leroy Hill's future with the Seahawks has been one of the foremost questions of training camp. Hill -- a starter since midway through his rookie season -- was not with the team for most of the offseason training program after his arrest for domestic violence.

Hill has already been suspended for the season-opener against San Francisco for violating the league's policy of substance abuse and faces the possibility of further discipline even though he avoided trial on the assault charge.

Hill suffered a knee injury the first week of training camp that has kept him out. Before that, he was practicing with the second unit.

Given that the contract he signed in 2009 called for him to make $6 million in 2010, his status was a big question.

Well, that question has been largely answered as Hill's contract has been reworked.

Hill's contract now calls for him to make $2.125 million in base salary in 2010, according to salary database on the NFL Players Association Web site. The renegotiated deal removed future years on the contract, and Hill will now become a free agent in 2011. The restructuring was first reported by ESPN.com where Mike Sando detailed an additional $60,000 roster bonus and an additional $3 million in incentives.

So what does that mean? Well, by all appearances Hill can be expected to be part of the team. If Seattle had planned to part ways with him, it wouldn't necessarily have needed to renegotiated the deal.

Also, the restructuring reflects the fact that there was uncertainty in Hill's future despite the fact that under the contract he signed last year, his $6 million salary was guaranteed against skill and injury. Those guarantees were likely compromised after Hill was arrested and charged with fourth-degree assault after a dispute with his live-in girlfriend last April. The fact Hill still may face discipline regarding that.

So why was Hill practicing with the second-unit defense when training camp opened? Well, the fact he was already suspended for the season-opener probably played a factor in that.

Seahawks Blog

Linebacker Leroy Hill's contract re-worked

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