Seahawks hold onto LBs Hill, McCoy
With three days left before the beginning of the team’s offseason training program, the Seattle Seahawks made two moves to bolster their defense.
The Seahawks announced Thursday that veteran linebackers Leroy Hill and Matt McCoy have signed one-year deals to remain with the team.
Along with Marcus Trufant, the 29-year-old Hill is one of two remaining members of Seattle’s Super Bowl team in 2005-2006. A third-round selection in the 2005 draft, Hill has spent his entire seven-year career with Seattle.
He is coming off one of his best seasons. For the first time in his professional career, Hill played in all 16 games, finishing fourth on the team in tackles with 89 and second in sacks with four. He likely will return to his role as Seattle’s starting weakside linebacker.
Hill also provides leadership to the linebackers after middle linebacker David Hawthorne left in free agency.
In March, Hill was arrested in Atlanta for marijuana possession, but the charges were dismissed after a urine test taken immediately following his arrest came back negative.
Hill has played in 84 career games, with 77 starts, and has 456 tackles and 181/2 sacks.
McCoy, 29, signed with Seattle two years ago as an unrestricted free agent. He led the Seahawks with a career-high 19 special teams tackles that year.
His role expanded last season when he played middle linebacker in passing situations during the first four games before suffering a season-ending knee injury while playing on special teams.
Seattle had been expected to select a couple of linebackers early in the April 26-28 draft but now has 10 linebackers among the 73 players on its roster.
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