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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