Just before the Seahawks were set to trim their roster to 53 players on Saturday, they took steps to add one. Or, as things have gone so often during this busy offseason, another one.
Although the deal has not been finalized, offensive lineman Stacy Andrews is expected to be acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles. The 6-foot-7, 342-pound Andrews will add depth and options at the tackle position – where
As for the cuts, the biggest name was wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who led the club in receptions and receiving yards last season after signing a lucrative free-agent contract. The club also released No. 3 quarterback J.P. Losman, a former first-round draft choice by the Buffalo Bills who was signed this offseason.
Also released were defensive end Nick Reed, a seventh-round draft choice last year who reached an injury settlement after having recent arthroscopic knee surgery; and former University of Washington running back Louis Rankin, who returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown in the preseason finale on Thursday night.
Andrews was a fourth-round draft choice by Cincinnati in 2004 and the Bengals named him their franchise player in 2008. But after having knee surgery late that season, the Bengals opted not to re-sign him and Andrews joined the Eagles. He became expendable on Friday, when the Eagles made a trade with the Arizona Cardinals to acquire offensive lineman Reggie Wells.
As the Seahawks’ 11th-hour deal illustrates, it’s premature – not to mention probably inaccurate – to call what remains the team’s final 53-man roster. With the way coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Schneider have been renovating the roster since they arrived in January they’ll likely dip into the pool of players released by other teams.
Saturday’s moves also left eight of the team’s nine draft choices on the roster: Okung;
While Houshmandzadeh’s exit after only one season might surprise some, it shouldn’t. The coaches had moved him from flanker to split end during offseason and they prefer to play with a taller receiver at that spot.Houshmandzadeh caught 79 passes for 911 yards and three touchdowns last season. He also had eight catches in the first three preseason games this summer, before sitting out the finale against the Raiders in Oakland on Thursday night.
Houshmandzadeh said after the game against the Raiders that he knew the club was trying to trade him and that his release also was a possibility.
“I’m ready for whatever, so if it happens, wherever I go, I’m going to make it happen,” he said in the locker room. “If I’m not wanted here, they don’t want me here. Whoever I’m going to wants me.”
Houshmandzadeh became expendable because of the emergence of
Losman was signed this offseason with the expectations that he could challenge
Linebacker
