Okung, the replacement for retired All-Pro Walter Jones, signed a six-year contract on Friday with Seattle that guarantees him more than $29 million. Then he went right onto the field in full pads for his first practice since he was preparing for Oklahoma State's Cotton Bowl appearance seven months ago.
The No. 6 overall pick in the NFL draft joined his teammates about 15 minutes into the afternoon practice and was working with the second unit. The thousand or so fans in attendance didn't even notice the 6-foot-5, 310-pound prize slip onto the field late.
They might not notice him in the starting offense for a week or so.
"He's not going to be with the first group until he catches up, until he knows what's going on," Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said of the man he named the starter the day the Seahawks drafted him in April.
"Russell is well behind now and he'll be in a really scramble mode for some time ... But, he'll get a bunch of reps here once he's ready to handle that."
Veteran backup Ray Willis was the first-string right tackle again on Friday.
Carroll estimates that Okung will be back on the first team within 10 days, "and no longer than that." The coach expects Seattle's second cornerstone left tackle since 1997 will be ready to play in the preseason opener against Tennessee on Aug. 14.
A person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press earlier Friday that Okung's deal has a potential maximum value of $58 million. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the team isn't releasing contract details on the last first-round pick to sign.
"It feels great. I would say this is the best job in the world," said the 22-year-old Okung.
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