The Seattle Seahawks moved one step closer to retaining free agent Steve Hutchinson by placing the transition tag on their All-Pro left guard Thursday

The function of the transition tag is a tendered offer of $6.391 million, the average salary of the top-10 offensive linemen during the 2005 NFL season. Hutchinson still has the freedom to negotiate with other teams, but the tag reserves the right for the Seahawks to match any offer and retain his services.

“The important thing to take from this is that we very much want to keep Steve a Seahawk and our goal is to ultimately re-sign him,” said Seahawks President of Football Operations Tim Ruskell. “This is the best avenue for achieving that goal.”

The Seahawks and Hutchinson have until March 17 to negotiate a contract. If a contract is not signed by that date, the club will be required to wait until July to resume negotiations.

Hutchinson, 28, was selected by the Seahawks as the 17th pick overall in the 2001 draft as a two-time All-American out at Michigan. The 6-5, 315-pound Florida native has started 68 career games at left guard and earned his third-straight trip to the Pro Bowl this season.