Renton, WA – The Seattle Seahawks activated 2011 first-round draft pick James Carpenter from the active/physically unable to perform list on Friday while reducing their roster to the 53-man limit per NFL rules.
Carpenter, the 25th overall selection in last year's draft, started the first nine games of his rookie campaign at right tackle before tearing his ACL in November. Although the Alabama product won't be ready for Seattle's Week 1 opener at Arizona on Sept. 9, he would have had to miss the season's first six weeks had he remained on the PUP list on Friday.
Among the 17 players waived by the Seahawks were wide receivers Deon Butler and Kris Durham. Butler, a third-round choice by Seattle in 2009, had 36 catches for 385 yards and four touchdowns during his second NFL season but played in just five games last year due to a broken leg. Durham was taken in the fourth round of last year's draft but played sparingly as a rookie, making just three receptions in three games.
The Seahawks also placed veteran linebacker Matt McCoy (knee) on injured reserve and cornerback Walter Thurmond on the reserve/PUP list. The latter is making his way back from a serious leg injury sustained last October.
Also waived on Friday were linebackers Korey Toomer, Allen Bradford and Kyle Knox, cornerback Phillip Adams, defensive ends Pierre Allen and Cordarro Law, offensive tackle Paul Fanaika, wide receivers Ricardo Lockette, Jermaine Kearse and Lavasier Tuinei, quarterback Josh Portis, guard Rishaw Johnson, tight end Sean McGrath, center Kris O'Dowd and safety DeShawn Shead. Tight end Cooper Helfet and running back Vai Taua were waived/injured, while defensive end Pep Levingston was waived from IR with an injury settlement.
Portis spent his rookie season of 2011 as the Seahawks' No. 3 quarterback.
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