Julian Peterson

Julian Peterson could be on his way out of Seattle, according to a report from KJR-AM's Dave Mahler. Here's a link to the report right here. Mike Sando of ESPN.com has subsequently confirmed Peterson declined to take a pay cut from his 2009 salary, which will be $6.5 million. If Seattle were to release Peterson, he would still count more than $4 million under the salary cap to account for the remainder of the signing-bonus money he received.

Peterson was the only Seahawk to appear in the Pro Bowl, but he is also the oldest of the Seahawks trio of starting linebackers. Seattle currently has $20 million in salary-cap space tied up in its linebacking corps after designating Leroy Hill its franchise player before free agency began. It was first reported by Dave "Softy" Mahler of 950 KJR AM this afternoon, but now Sando is chiming in. According to their sources, Julian Peterson was approached by the team and asked to take a pay cut. Peterson refused and now there is speculation that he may be cut or traded sometime in the near future.

The obvious implication pointed out by Mahler and Sando is that Peterson's rejection of a pay cut may mean that his future with Seattle is in doubt. I won't go that far yet, but the fact that the Seahawks approached Peterson about his contract at all would seem to indicate that the front office is trying to navigate payroll and cap issues for next season. Whether or not Peterson is actually in any imminent danger of being cut or traded isn't quite clear at this point.