The bigger problem with the Jimmy Mac signing was that Kemp, aside from that outsider being taken care of first, when he had been promised a max deal by the Ackerleys which didn't happen, he also saw what we all saw. The Sonics signed a guy that sucked and wasn't going to help the team. That money was now gone, and less money was available to take care of the guys who were already there. Now.... if they had signed even Dikembe Mutombo I don't think the reaction is the same, because Shawn and everybody else sees that the team will improve on the inside, this will open up opportunities for Shawn, including more points, a better shot at a title, endorsements, etc. He didn't feel Mac did anything but waste money. I felt the same. It was a godawful signing.
As a Seahawks player you look at the big signing and say, "Hmmm... does this take us to the next level?" If it does? Then you like it, because it increases your value. Look at how much our coordinators value went up after this year. If the Hawks win a Superbowl Richard Sherman's value jumps considerably. Does he care who pays him? Probably not. He just wants to get a buttload of money from somebody. We'd all like to believe he wants to stay a Hawk for life, but I don't think many major leaguers think that way.
If I were on the Hawks and I saw Osi and Dockett brought in, I'd be absolutely ecstatic, especially if I'm a DB, because it makes my job easier, and helps me get more INT's from the defensive pressure on the QB. As a LBer I'd be happy as I see the fact that the front pressure helps me in my assignments. If I'm an offensive player, I'm happy, because then our game winning drives with a minute left are much less likely to end in a loss.
I think the players are smart enough to see an upgrade when one comes along. It isn't "not paying your current guys" if you sign somebody at a position of weakness or where we have nobody under contract. Jones is a free agent, I believe Branch is a free agent. We have Mebane, Irvin, and Clemons making the majority of the money on the line, and Clemons is hurt, and the other guys will go get their best deal. I'd gladly swap out branch and jones and end up with Dockett. I think the whole team would be stoked to have him, because he is the exact type of player we need in the middle (If not the exact guy, then he is the type we need for sure).