Seahawks bring back two more veterans, Geno Smith style, waive one, put one on IR

By Gregg Bell

The News Tribune

RENTON — The return of previously released Seahawks veterans continues.

First it was Geno Smith, who re-signed to be the backup quarterback to Russell Wilson a day after Seattle released him in a roster shell game Saturday. Then Monday, wide receiver Jaron Brown came back, re-signing after Seattle did the expected and put tight end Ed Dickson on injured reserve.

Just before practice Monday the Seahawks announced they had re-signed Nick Bellore to be the only fullback on the roster for Sunday’s opener against Cincinnati. Seattle had also released him Saturday.

Seattle waived linebacker Austin Calitro. He became expendable this spring after the team drafted two rookies, Cody Barton and Ben Burr-Kirven, who can do what Calitro did last season for Seattle: backup Bobby Wagner at middle and K.J. Wright and potentially Mychal Kendricks at outside linebacker.

Vested veterans do not have to go through waivers, which is how the Seahawks could arrange essentially handshake agreements with Smith, Brown and Bellore: let us set you aside for a day or two until we make other moves after we set the initial regular-season roster.

Waiting until now to put Dickson on injured reserve makes him eligible to be one of the two IR players each NFL team can designate to return after eight games each season. Dickson had knee surgery a month ago. He conceivably could return in eight weeks.

The Seahawks have just two tight ends on the roster right now: Nick Vannett and Will Dissly, the former University of Washington Husky who has returned from a patellar-tendon surgery in his knee that ended his rookie season last September. But Seattle has added tight end Jacob Hollister to the practice squad. And the team expects offensive tackle George Fant back soon from a sprained ankle early in trainin camp. Fant was effective as an extra tight end in run blocking for an average of 14 snaps per game last season, and coaches may expand his role there this season.