RENTON, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks will use their franchise tag to retain control of kicker Olindo Mare.
The team announced the move Wednesday. Mare will receive a tender for the average salary of the top five kickers in the NFL or a 20 percent salary increase.
Mare was a model of consistency for much of 2009. He missed only two kicks all season, finishing 24 of 26 to rank third in the league. He made 21 straight field goals and ranked fifth in the league in touchbacks with 22.
But his two misses caught major headlines. Both of Mare's misses came against Chicago and he was publicly criticized by former coach Jim Mora immediately after the game.
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
