Pete Carroll: Quandre Diggs 'Making a Statement' Regarding Contract Situation

Following the "hold in" strategy deployed by teammates Jamal Adams and Duane Brown, Diggs didn't participate in practice this week and isn't expected to play in Saturday's preseason finale as he seeks a new contract.

Set to become an unrestricted free agent next March and seeking a new contract, Quandre Diggs has now followed Jamal Adams and Duane Brown's lead orchestrating a "hold in" strategy.

Though Diggs was in attendance for each of Seattle's four practices this week, including Friday's walkthrough, he did not participate in any of the four sessions. Initially, coach Pete Carroll told reporters on Monday that the star safety "needed a day" and the team granted him a veteran day off.

However, Carroll's explanation of Diggs' situation changed after Friday's practice, as he indicated the seven-year veteran was sending a message regarding his contract situation and he supports the decision. The former Texas standout has one-year left on his deal and is currently scheduled to earn $6.144 million in 2021.

"I think he's making a bit of a statement now, but I have nothing for you to update," Carroll said. "He deserves to do that."

Acquired from the Lions midway through the 2019 season in exchange for a fifth-round draft choice, Diggs has quietly put together two stellar seasons for the Seahawks. In just five starts roaming center field for Carroll's defense in 2019, he picked off three passes, recovered a fumble, and forced a fumble, providing an immediate upgrade after the team let Earl Thomas walk in free agency.

Last year, Diggs started all 16 games at free safety and turned in a career year for Seattle, picking off a team-best five passes and setting a career-high with 10 passes defensed. He also finished fourth on the team with 64 combined tackles, helping him earn his first Pro Bowl selection.

Since the start of the 2019 season, Diggs is one of only five safeties in the NFL with at least eight interceptions and he accomplished that feat in six fewer games than any other player on that exclusive list. Based on his production, as Carroll noted, he's more than earned a lucrative extension as one of the league's most underrated players at his position.

However, per multiple sources, the Seahawks have not opened discussions with Diggs' camp about a possible extension to this point. The organization recently gave Adams a record-breaking four-year, $70 million deal worth $17.5 million per season, making him the highest-paid safety in NFL history.

Clearly unhappy the team hasn't made an effort to negotiate with him on an extension, Diggs tweeted on Thursday, "Can't deny me what I deserve."

Considering how much the team invested in Adams and the fact five players already on the books for 2022 with a cap hit of at least $9 million, Seattle's front office may have reservations about handing the 28-year old Diggs a pricey extension that could be worth at least $11-12 million per year. Such a deal would make it the organization has nearly $30 million per year invested in the safety position alone.

At the same time, free safety play has long been a critical part of Carroll's Cover 3-heavy defense and Diggs proved to be a game changer upon his arrival. The Seahawks have never had issues paying safeties given their value to the defensive scheme and after seeing what life looked like post-Thomas two years ago, risking losing him in free agency next spring would be a significant gamble.

It's possible Seattle could explore sweeting the pot for Diggs this season by adding extra bonus money through creative measures such as taking on a void year. Such a strategy has been discussed internally by the organization to appease Brown rather than giving him an extension right now.

After the team paid him handsomely, count Adams as one who believes Diggs will eventually get paid by Seattle and that the team will "do right by him."

"Absolutely. He deserves it. He deserves it, and hopefully we can get that done. I’m not the GM, so I don’t know when. His time is going to come," Adams said.

With two weeks until the regular season opener, Diggs won't be holding out to miss game checks regardless of what happens. He's had his opportunity now to send a message to the front office, but as Carroll noted, he's in outstanding shape and the team expects he'll be ready to play alongside Adams once the bullets start firing for real in Indianapolis on September 12 with or without a new contract.