Free agent Bruce Irvin would stay in Seattle if money is close

Bruce Irvin has spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Seattle Seahawks, and the linebacker would apparently be willing to leave money on the table in order to return to the franchise that took a risk by selecting him in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

Irvin is set to hit free agency on March 9, and will likely be one of the most in-demand players on the market, meaning Seattle could be priced out of contention for his services.

However, if the Seahawks' offer is close to the best deal Irvin's offered in free agency, he told 710 ESPN's "Justin and Gee" show Thursday that he'd consider taking less money to stay with the team.

"I mean, I love Seattle, and I want to spend the rest of my career there," said Irvin, according to Brady Henderson of 710 ESPN Seattle. "Like I always say, those guys took a chance on me when everybody wasn't even thinking about me. I probably would have went second, third round."

He added, "So those guys will always have a place in my heart, a special place. So like I said, man, if the money was close, I would definitely consider it because the brotherhood I have with those guys, it's like no other. I'm as close to most of those guys as I am with my real brothers, so leaving those guys would be very hard on me, but not only me, my family also."

Irvin said in January that he'd take $3 million to $5 million less from the Seahawks than from another team in order to stay.

The issue for Seattle is that it's already invested significant money on the defensive side of the ball, especially at linebacker, with Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright receiving sizable deals in recent seasons.

Irvin has a projected market value of $8.7 million per year, according to Spotrac, and that number could rise if a bidding war for the 29-year-old ignites in free agency.

"We're just going to let it play out," Irvin said. "It'll take care of itself. Hopefully it happens, being back in Seattle."