Seahawks land 2 top picks for Galloway

The exodus of local sports stars continues.

You've heard this story before. A young athlete in the prime of his career is disenchanted with Seattle and his team. He wants out. His boss gives him a small window to negotiate a deal with a team and soon after, another star is gone leaving behind paltry compensation and mixed memories.

Four days ago, it was Ken Griffey Jr.

Yesterday, it was Joey Galloway.

Like the Mariners, the Seahawks won't know immediately if they've received equal value in their biggest trade in nearly a decade. In exchange for the speedy receiver, the Seahawks will get two first-round picks from the Dallas Cowboys, one each in the 2000 and 2001 NFL drafts.

But this might be one of those cases of addition by subtraction.

Not only does Seattle get the 19th overall pick in this April's draft, but the Seahawks save about $4.5 million in salary and can use that money to retain unrestricted free agent Derrick Mayes, their leading receiver last season.

"The way I look at this, it is really a win-win situation for the Seahawks and Dallas," said Mike Holmgren, Seahawk coach/general manager. "We get a couple of more picks, and we're a growing, young football team with some holes in the dike that we have to fill.

"And they get a very, very good football player that would probably go nicely with their quarterback."

As for Dallas and Galloway, they got exactly what they wanted.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones wants to rebuild his team in the mold of Super Bowl champion St. Louis, and Jones needed a big-play receiver to replace injured Michael Irvin and play opposite Raghib Ismail.

"This really does complement everything we have done and is in sync with our plans for this team," Jones said. "Our basic philosophy is that we have made a change in offense."

Galloway, who had three 1,000-yard receiving seasons in the past five years, received the contract he tried to get from the Seahawks a year ago.

Back then he asked for $42 million over seven years, including a $12.5 million signing bonus. The Seahawks said no, and they countered with a seven-year deal worth $35 million that included a $7 million signing bonus.

Dallas, however, gave Galloway what he wanted.

"What is the contract really worth in this day and age?" Holmgren said. "Jerry chooses to bonus Joey that money, and he has his reasons for doing that. Because of salary-cap restrictions last year, we couldn't increase our bonus even if we wanted to."

The contract dispute between Seattle and Galloway forced a holdout and caused him to miss training camp and eight regular-season games. Galloway was fined $210,000 during his absence and forfeited half of his salary for the 1999 season.

By reporting to the team before Nov. 14, however, he was credited for a full year's service time when an arbitrator ruled in Galloway's favor at a hearing last week.

The acrimonious negotiations strained Galloway's relationship with Holmgren and forced a trade.

"The situation in Seattle deteriorated on the field in so many ways," said Galloway at a press conference yesterday in Dallas. "I'm glad that is behind me. I hope I shook off the rust in the (nine) games I did play last year."

Said Holmgren: "You compare what he did (in 1999) to what he did previously, and it wasn't the same. Regardless of how gifted a player is, to miss all of that time and to think you can come off the street and play like you used to play . . . that doesn't happen."

Galloway had a negligible impact on the offense last season. He caught 22 passes for 335 yards and had just one touchdown during the regular season.

The reaction from former teammates ranged from disappointment to relief.

"I'm happy for him," said Seahawk cornerback Shawn Springs, who was a teammate of Galloway's at Ohio State. "He got his money, and he's going to a place where he wanted.

"He's going to have a ball. It's going to be great for him. My dad (former Cowboy Ron Springs) called me, and he's just excited. That's going to make Dallas a better team, and I'm not sure what it's going to do for us. It depends on who we draft with that pick."

Said Phillip Daniels, the former Seahawk defensive end who signed with Chicago: "I had a good idea of what Joey was going through. When you think a place doesn't want you anymore, it's just time to leave any way you can."

Note

-- Denver tight end Shannon Sharpe is expected to visit Seattle this week to meet with the Seahawk coaching staff and discuss a possible contract, league sources confirmed yesterday. Sharpe, an unrestricted free agent, is seeking $3 million a year and the Broncos can't afford him.

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Picking up picks.

In exchange for receiver Joey Galloway, the Seahawks will receive Dallas' first-round draft choices in 2000 and 2001. A look at where the Seattle will pick in this year's draft April 15-16.

Round . First (19) # . First (22). Second. Third # # . Third. Fourth. Fifth. Sixth.

# From Dallas for Galloway.

# # From Dallas for James McKnight.

# # # Traded the No. 7 pick to Green Bay for Derrick Mayes.

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Galloway bio.

Height: 5-foot-11. Weight: 188 pounds. Position: Receiver. College: Ohio State. NFL experience: Fifth year. How acquired: Draft (first round, 1995). Career statistics: 71 games, 283 receptions, 4,457 receiving, 15.7 yards per catch 37 touchdowns, 12 100-yard games. Career highlights: AFC Pro Bowl alternate in 1998 and '97.