Hawks need a returner, but it won’t be Ogden

By Scott M. Johnson

Herald Writer

The Seattle Seahawks’ search for a new return man could begin this weekend, but don’t expect Snohomish native Jeff Ogden to figure into their plans.

Ogden, who ranked fourth in the AFC in punt returns last season while playing for the Miami Dolphins, becomes a free agent Friday. But his agent, Cameron Foster, said he has already spoken with the Seahawks about the possibility of signing Ogden.

“They basically told me, ‘Thanks, but no thanks,’” Foster said, adding that Ogden would have loved to have continued his NFL career back in the Puget Sound.

The Seahawks could try to land a new return man on the free agent market, with the biggest available name being St. Louis Rams wide receiver Az-Zahir Hakim. But Seattle may also opt to find someone in the April draft or promote from within. Wide receiver James Williams could be a logical candidate, as could Bobby Engram if the team re-signs him in the upcoming weeks.

The Seahawks are in need of a new return man after Charlie Rogers was selected in the Houston Texans’ expansion draft two weeks ago. Rogers said there were no hard feelings over being left unprotected, but that it hasn’t been easy adjusting to a new team.

“I’m thinking Seattle is going to be a great team,” Rogers said earlier this week. “They’re young, but they finally got some game experience and they’re starting to jell. That was the main reason I didn’t want to go to Houston at first.

“But leading up to the (expansion) draft, my thoughts started to drift. I thought maybe I’ll have the chance to play in the slot and help the offense. I felt limited in Seattle. They just wanted me to be a return guy.”

As for Ogden, offers appear limited at this point. Even though the Texans drafted Rogers and fellow return man Jermaine Lewis, they are the only team to show interest in Ogden. Foster said he has been in discussions with the Dolphins about Ogden returning to Miami, but the sides are far apart in contract talks.