SB Nation Seattle - Seahawks Training Camp: Seattle Sign Veteran WR Braylon Edwards

Center Kris O'Dowd Signs With Seahawks, Former College Coaches

2012-08-16T21:28:01Z

The Seattle Seahawks signed free agent Kris O'Dowd on Thursday, filling in the team's lack of depth at the center position. With backup center John Moffitt out with an elbow injury and fellow backup Lemuel Jeanpierre suffering with a groin injury, the signing of O'Dowd came as necessity.

He will be an emergency third-stringer behind starter Max Unger. Guard Rishaw Johnson will back up Unger at center, according to Curtis Crabtree, who also reported O'Dowd won't suit up until gameday.

A former USC Trojan, O'Dowd is familiar with Seattle head coach Pete Carroll as well as assistant offensive line coach Pat Ruel, according to The News Tribune. In Los Angeles, O'Dowd started in games in all four of his collegiate seasons.

"He's worked with Pat Ruel for a long time," Carroll told the newspaper. "So Pat will be able to communicate more quickly I think than maybe another guy, so the familiarity will help us in that regard. Those guys were up late last night, and they were up early this morning working on it. And he can't get into pads until game day, so we won't know a whole lot about him."

After being signed as a free agent by the Arizona Cardinals after going undrafted in 2011, O'Dowd most recently was with the New York Jets.

On Thursday, the Seahawks also cut ties with kicker Carson Wiggs.

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Seahawks Training Camp: Antonio Bryant Released, Carson Wiggs Re-Signed

2012-08-05T20:36:58Z

The Seattle Seahawks are seemingly determined to strike gold with a veteran wide receiver in training camp. After a little more than a week, the team officially parted with Antonio Bryant following Sunday's practice. Bryant was signed on July 26 and began working out with the team, but it was quickly decided he was no longer capable of being a playmaker anymore.

Bryant had not played in the NFL since 2009. He missed all of 2010 with a knee injury, and was unable to find a team last year. It appears his career is now over.

Seahawks release WR Antonio Bryant and re-sign K Carson Wiggs to the 90-man roster.
— Seattle Seahawks (@Seahawks) August 5, 2012

Carson Wiggs, 22, was added to the roster earlier in the year as a non-drafted free agent out of Purdue. He will likely serve as depth for the Seahawks in training camp and in the season, but he could see some playing time should an injury arise for Steven Hauschka.

For more on the Seahawks, make sure you head to Field Gulls and join in on the discussion.

Seahawks To Sign WR Braylon Edwards, Per Report

2012-07-31T15:56:38Z

The Seahawks will sign veteran wide receiver Braylon Edwards later today, Dave "Softy" Mahler of SportsRadioKJR reports. Kicker Carson Wiggs was released to clear room on the roster. Edwards, 6'3, 215, was the third overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft by the Browns after an absurdly successful college campaign at Michigan in which he had three straight 1000+ yard seasons. Edwards started strong in his career in Cleveland, and by his third season, 2007, he caught 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns, second only in the NFL to Randy Moss' 23. His next season was not so great, as he regressed to 55 catches for 873 yards and only three touchdowns, and he dropped a league-worst 23 passes. He fell out of favor in Cleveland after an injury-shortened 2009 season and was traded to the Jetsin 2008.

Over two seasons in New York, Edwards caught 88 passes for 1,445 yards and 11 touchdowns and seemed to get things a little bit more on track with his career. Expectations were high for some as he signed in San Francisco last season as a potential deep threat for them, but he caught only 15 passes in nine games and was released mid-season. He had a free-agent tryout last week with the Seahawks and apparently impressed enough for a further look.

For what it's worth, Edwards has improved after developing a reputation for drops, and has more or less reined in that issue since that disastrous 2008 season, reportedly tweaking technique in New York that largely helped him correct the issue to an acceptable level. Despite his reputation, according to ProFootballFocus' tracking, he's not even in the top-15 (bottom-15, I guess) in the NFL for drop rate over the past three season.

Also worth noting in regards to the former blue-chip prospect, the quarterbacks that have thrown to Braylon Edwards in his career are Trent Dilfer, Charlie Frye, Derek Anderson, Brady Quinn, Mark Sanchez, Kellen Clemons and Alex Smith. Not exactly an overwhelming list. He comes to a Seahawks team with a three-headed quarterback competition and should compete either at the up-for-grabs X receiver position or as a possible depth guy behind injury prone Sidney Rice. Of course, he'll have to make the roster first. It should be interesting to see what he's got left in the tank, and we won't have to wait long to find out as the Seahawks continue training camp this week.

For more on the Seahawks, make sure you head to Field Gulls and join in on the discussion.

Max Unger's Contract Details Revealed

2012-07-27T21:57:50Z

NFL.com's salary cap guru Brian McIntyre is reporting that a source with knowledge of his contract, Seahawks center Max Unger is set to make over $25.5 million over the next five seasons, thanks to a new deal signed this week. Per McIntyre, Unger's four-year extension "is worth $24.935 million, a $6.233 million per year average that ranks fourth behind Ryan Kalil, Nick Mangold and Chris Myers among NFL centers."

GM John Schneider said in a press release after inking Unger to a new deal, "Pete and I are excited to lock up a young core leader on our offense. Max's consistent and professional approach to his job transcends the locker room and the huddle."

Over the age of the contract, which is five years, Unger is set to make about $5.1 million per year, with $12 million guaranteed, again, pretty rich for an NFL center. According to McIntyre, Unger received a $5.5 million signing bonus and will earn a base salary of $2.5 million in 2012 and $4 million 2013, fully guaranteed. He then goes to a non-guaranteed $4.5 million in both 2014 and 2015, then falls again to $4.25 million non-guaranteed with a $250,000 roster bonus in 2016. There are escalators in base salary that remain undisclosed.

For more on the Seahawks, make sure you head to Field Gulls and join in on the discussion.

Brian Banks Worked Out For Seahawks, No Deal At This Time

2012-07-27T21:22:21Z

Brian Banks, a former blue-chip high school football prospect that was wrongly accused, convicted, and sent to jail on rape charges, continues his quest to one day make an NFL roster. Pete Carroll and the Seahawks were the first team to offer the 26-year old a workout and though he's not quite at the physical shape needed to compete at the top level, this front office is apparently keeping tabs on his development.

Banks worked out for the Seahawks a second time on Thursday -- he also worked out with the team earlier this summer at OTAs and mini-camps but was not offered a roster spot -- and again was not offered a contract. Banks, Braylon Edwards, Antonio Bryant, and QB G.J. Kinne all worked out for the team and the lone open spot on the 90-man roster was filled by Bryant, a 31-year old veteran receiver. Still, Banks showed nothing but gratitude...

Had a tryout in Seattle yesterday. Me, Antonio Bryant, Braylon Edwards, and a few others. Only 1 roster spot to be filled to complete the 90
— Brian Banks (@OK_Banks) July 27, 2012

Congrats to Antonio Bryant... An amazing athlete! Great seeing him and Edwards fly around the field.
— Brian Banks (@OK_Banks) July 27, 2012

Much respects to the #SEAHAWKS, Coach Caroll, GM Schneider , and Coach Norton for these opportunities! A one of a kind organization. Truly
— Brian Banks (@OK_Banks) July 27, 2012

My guess is that we haven't seen the last of Brian Banks.

Seahawks Training Camp 2012: Players Report Friday, Practice Open To Fans This Weekend

2012-07-27T20:01:04Z

Seahawks Training Camp at the Virginia Mason Athletic Center is one of the highlights of the offseason for any Seattle fan. Anyone can register and attend, and it gives you a chance to watch the team practice while sitting on a nice grass hill overlooking Lake Washington, listening to music and catching some rays. Of course, it's more than just hanging out on a berm in the sun, it's your first chance to see the Seahawks' new players, draft picks and free agents alike, in action and in Seahawks blue.

Kellen Winslow, Matt Flynn, and Jason Jones will debut as the teams' top free agent signees and it will be cool to watch Russell Wilson, Bobby Wagner, and Bruce Irvin live and in person. The team has 13 training camp practices open this year, beginning Saturday, July 28th and concluding Wednesday, August 15th. If you're interested in going, you must register through the Bing Training Camp Website. It's on a first-come, first-served basis and only fans that register through their site will be allowed to attend practice. It costs you $6, but in my opinion, it's well worth it.

For more on the Seahawks, make sure you head to Field Gulls and join in on the discussion.

Seahawks Sign Veteran WR Antonio Bryant

2012-07-27T02:43:54Z

The Seahawks have signed veteran receiver Antonio Bryant to their 90-man roster. Bryant was at the VMAC today for a workout, and caught passes alongside fellow tryout receiver Braylon Edwards from tryout quarterback GJ Kinne. Bryant, 31, is 6'1, 211 pounds and has 372 receptions in his career for 5685 yards and 30 touchdowns. He's spent time with Dallas, Cleveland, San Francisco and Tampa Bay, and was in Seattle earlier this offseason on a tryout basis. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said at the time that Bryant looked good but was out of football shape -- "He's not in very good shape, but he's very natural," Carroll told The Seattle Times at the time.

"He's got terrific instincts for catching the football and getting in and out of breaks. ... He's not there right now though. He's a ways away and he admits that he has not been working out in the kind of setting that he needs to be at his best, so we'll see what happens." Also, props to Danny O'Neil for what he called "the Pete Carroll Deluxe Translator," as he predicted "it doesn't sound like the Seahawks will be signing him right away, but rather following up to see if his conditioning improves to the point of adding him to the roster for training camp." It looks like the extra month or two of working out has done the veteran receiver some good.

Still, he'll be facing an uphill climb still to make the active 53-man roster and will have to beat out some of the Seahawks younger prospects and bubble-type veteran receivers for a spot. He becomes the 13th wide receiver on the Seahawks current 90-man roster and it's likely that the Hawks will keep, at the most, six from that group. Bryant will challenge Ben Obomanu, Deon Butler, Kris Durham, Ricardo Lockette and some of the UDFA rookies like Phil Bates and Lavasier Tuinei on the depth chart.

Marshawn Lynch Pleads Not Guilty To DUI Charges

2012-07-26T17:45:48Z

Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch has had enough trouble with the law during the course of his NFL career, but is apparently going to try and fight his latest incident as ESPN is reporting that Seattle's star running back has pleaded not guilty to DUI charges in California.

According to his attorney, Ivan Golde, Lynch blew a .08 at the scene shortly after he was pulled over on July 14 in Alameda County and subsequently arrested. He registered a slightly higher blood-alcohol level when tested at the jail on a calibrated breathalyzer. Golde claims Lynch was under .08 when he was pulled over and his blood-alcohol level had risen by the time he had gotten to the jail.

The California Highway Patrol reported seeing Lynch weaving in and out of lanes on Interstate 880 in Emeryville, CA. An incident report released by the California Highway Patrol described Lynch driving a Ford Econoline van and having two near collisions with other vehicles.

Lynch was charged with driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol and driving while having a blood-alcohol level of .08 or higher. He has an August 14 court date.

For more on the Seahawks make sure that you check out Field Gulls.