The Seattle Seahawks apparently are not totally sold on long snapper Bryan Pittman.

Team sources confirmed the Seattle Seahawks have signed veteran long snapper Kevin Houser.

Mike Triplett of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that Houser traveled to Seattle for a visit.

Houser, who turns 32 next month, spent nine seasons playing for the Saints.

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Seattle Seahawks fullback Owen Schmitt was arraigned in Black Diamond on July 2 for a charge of suspicion of DUI in June and pleaded not guilty.

Schmitt is scheduled to appear in a pre-trial hearing on July 22.

ESPN’s Mike Sando is reporting the Seattle Seahawks have signed long snapper Bryan Pittman to apparently fill that position for the 2009 season.

Pittman served as the long snapper for the Houston Texans since 2003, before being suspended for four games last year after testing positive for a banned substance that is a violation of the NFL’s steroids policy.

At 6-foot-3, 265 pounds, Pittman attended Thomas Jefferson High in Federal Way and played at the University of Washington.

At 32 years old, Pittman is a younger replacement for 39-year-old Jeff Robinson, who came out of retirement to serve as the team’s long snapper last season. Kicker Olindo Mara raved about the job Robinson did last season, saying Robinson was one of the reasons for the good season he had in 2008.

Seattle released 2008 sixth round draft choice Tyler Schmitt last month, and did not sign rookie free agent Sean Griffin out of Michigan.

Ryan Senser, a rookie free agent out of Ohio, remains on the roster and will provide some competition for Griffin. Although at 6-3, 241 pounds, Senser is smaller than Pittman and at 24 years old has less NFL experience.

In other NFL news, league owners voted to award the 2013 Super Bowl to New Orleans. Having been to New Orleans a couple times over the years, it’s hard not to have a good time in the Big Easy.

Former University of Washington wide receiver Reggie Williams, who was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars during the offseason, received two years probation for cocaine possession in a case in Houston in which a Taser was used to subdue him.

On Monday, Williams pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance. A judge sentenced the 25-year-old unrestricted free agent to deferred adjudication, plus fined Williams $200.

According to the report, Williams will face random drug testing in Harris County.

Maybe the Seattle Seahawks don't feel as comfortable with the return of Walter Jones as they have said publicly.

According to Alex Marvez of Fox Sports, recently released Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle Levi Jones is set to visit Seattle this week.

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Here's some interesting scuttlebutt on the Leroy Hill contract negotiations from Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com.

Florio says according to a league source, Seahawks GM Tim Ruskell did Leroy Hill a favor by offering him essentially the same six-year, $36 million deal with added, unreachable incentives that the team had previously offered and Hill turned down.

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The Seattle Seahawks and linebacker Leroy Hill have agreed to terms to a multi-year deal, the team announced this afternoon.

Hill, Seattle’s second of two third round picks (98th overall) in the 2005 NFL Draft, has started 50 of 56 career games, totaling 321 tackles (237 solo), 13.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in his career.

It appears the Seattle Seahawks strategy of rescinding the franchise tag on Hill in order to speed up negotiations with the 26-year-old linebacker paid off.

In an interview with KJR-AM’s Mitch Levy this morning, Seattle head coach Jim Mora said he felt a deal with Hill was just a matter of time.

"My belief in talking to Leroy as much as I have is that he’ll be wearing a Seattle Seahawk uniform next year," Mora said. "I feel very confident of that.”

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The wheels continued to turn in Renton for the Seattle Seahawks today, as they announced the signing of two veterans they were rumored to be interested in, with former Seahawk Ken Lucas and ex-Oakland Raiders fullback Justin Griffith signing with the team.

Terms of their agreements were not disclosed.

What this means for the status of linebacker Leroy Hill remains to be seen. Seahawks GM Tim Ruskell maintained at today's press conference for linebacker Aaron Curry that the two sides are still negotiating. But you would have to think the money is drying up with these two signing and the rookie draft class yet to be signed.

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Here's a video clip from our discussion with Seattle Seahawks general manager Tim Ruskell on the team rescinding the franchise tag from linebacker Leroy Hill.

As reported earlier, Ruskell said the team made the move in large part because they drafted linebacker Aaron Curry, and along with the rest of the rookies they drafted and free agents they signed, the need the cap room for flexibility.

However, Ruskell did say the team is still negotiating with Hill, and that the 26-year-old linebacker indicated through a conversation with Mora that Hill still wants to remain a Seahawk.

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Here's the list of free agents Seattle plans to sign to fill out their roster, along with the seven draft picks. I believe with the new additions, once everyone is signed, Seattle's roster will be at 77 players. But I'll dig more into that on Monday. Here's the list.

Michael Bennett, DE, Texas A&M
Tony Fein, LB, Mississippi
Dave Philistin, OLB, Maryland
Devin Moore, RB, Wyoming
Andre Ramsey, OT, Ball State
Tyler Roehl, RB, North Dakota State

Team sources confirmed that the Seattle Seahawks removed the franchise tag designated to linebacker Leroy Hill in an effort to create some financial flexibility for the team.

The move came just hours after Seattle selected Wake Forest linebacker Aaron Curry with the team’s No. 4 overall pick in the first day of the draft on Saturday.

Curry will likely sign a lucrative, multi-year deal with the team to join a talented, linebackers’ unit that includes Hill and Lofa Tatupu.

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Jay Glazer of Fox Sports is reporting that the Philadelphia Eagles have traded their first round pick (No. 28) to Buffalo for left tackle Jason Peters.

The Bills also reportedly will receive a second-day pick in this year's draft and a late-round pick in the 2010 draft.

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