Seahawks plan to sign former Vikings kicker Ryan Longwell
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Kicker Ryan Longwell remained unemployed this season after being cut last spring by the Minnesota Vikings.
But the kicker's exile from the NFL is about to end.
ESPN reported that the 15-year veteran will sign with the Seattle Seahawks following a tryout Tuesday during which he outperformed competition from three other kickers. That list included Neil Rackers.
Seattle needed a kicker because Steven Hauschka injured his calf in Sunday's first-round playoff victory at Washington. The Seahawks aren't sure if Hauschka will be able to kick Sunday in their divisional round game against Atlanta.
According to the ESPN report, the Seahawks plan to monitor how Hauschka does in practice and also see if his calf improves before making a decision on whether to have Longwell among their active players Sunday.
This isn't the first time Hauschka and Longwell will be on the same roster. Hauschka went to training camp with the Vikings in 2008 to take some of the reps off of Longwell.
Seattle offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell knows Longwell very Well. He was the Vikings' offensive coordinator during Longwell's first five seasons with Minnesota and before that was on the Packers' coaching staff when Longwell was with Green Bay.
The Vikings have no regrets about their decision to cut Longwell. Blair Walsh, a sixth-round pick last April, had an oustanding rookie season and was named to the Pro Bowl.
