Veteran placekicker Ryan Longwell has been signed to replace Steven Hauschka, who reportedly will be placed Wedneday on the Seahawks injured reserve list, meaning he is done for the season. The Seahawks also have signed Patrick Chukwurah, who hasn’t played in the NFL since 2007, to add depth to a defensive line missing injured sack leader Chris Clemons.
Hauschka strained a calf muscle in Sunday’s 24-14 wild card playoff win at Washington. He made two field goals after the injury, but was replaced by punter Jon Ryan for one kickoff.
Longwell, 38, spent 15 seasons in the NFL, the first nine in Green Bay and six in Minnesota, but did not play in the 2012 regular season. He had a tryout Tuesday. Aaron Levine Of Q13Fox Sports first reported the pending signing Tuesday night on Twitter.
In 2011 with the Vikings, Longwell, a Seattle native, hit 22 of 28 field goal attempts and 38 of 39 extra-point tries. Longwell was cut in May after the Vikings used a sixth-round draft pick on Blair Walsh of Georgia. After the 2011 lockout ended, Longwell signed a four-year, $12 million deal that included a $3.5 million signing bonus.
The 6-1, 250-pound Chukwurah, 33, played in 78 games over six seasons with Minnesota, Denver and Tampa, including five starts. He has nine career sacks.
Chukwurah, a personal trainer, played the past two seasons in the United Football League, which he led in sacks.
Rookie Bruce Irvin will start in Clemons’ spot, with fellow rookie Greg Scruggs and possibly Chukwurah as the backup pass-rushing end. Clemons led Seattle with 11.5 sacks in the regular season while Irvin was No. 2 with eight. No one else on the team had more than three.
After a a regular season considered light in terms of serious injuries, the Seahawks added two players in one playoff game to the injured reserve list, which already had another defensive lineman, Jason Jones.
