Former New England TE Ben Watson signed with Cleveland today. Watson had earlier visited with Seattle, not to supplant John Carlson, but to provide depth at the position given new offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates’ affinity for two-tight-end sets.
While losing Watson doesn’t qualify as a crushing blow, it does mean that Seattle has now gone more than a week into free agency without a signing. New GM John Schneider comes from a Green Bay front office that often used restraint in free agency, so a quiet first week isn’t all that shocking.
Could the first signing be a back-up quarterback? NFL.com’s Jason LaCanfora reported this morning that San Diego reserve QB Charlie Whitehurst was impressed with his visits to both Arizona and Seattle, and that a signing could happen soon. Whitehurst, a third-round pick in 2006, is a restricted free agent and carries a third-round tender. The Seahawks don’t have a third-round pick in 2010, so to sign him they would have to either acquire a third-round pick before the signing, or work out some sort of other deal with San Diego.
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