Tubbs not yet ready to perform

KIRKLAND — The list no Seahawk wants to be on has a rather harmless name: PUP.

What it stands for is not so benign: Physically unable to perform.

And that's where defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs finds himself on the day before training camp opens.

The bad news is that Tubbs, a former first-round draft choice who was expected to play a big role as a run-stopper, won't be able to practice until he passes a physical.

The good news is that Tubbs is the only Seahawk on the list, at least as of Friday.

Tubbs failed his precamp physical Friday. He also opened training camp last year on the PUP list after coming off of Achilles surgery. He never took part in training camp nor did he play in an exhibition game. He did, however, play in five of the first six regular-season games in 2006, missing Week 4 to have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.

The knee continued to bother him, and Tubbs was placed on injured reserve Nov. 11 and lost for the season after playing in just the five games.

Tubbs had microfracture surgery, a procedure from which it takes a considerable amount of time to recover, and it seemed a longshot that he'd be ready in time for this camp.

Tubbs is viewed as a big key to the defensive line because of his size and ability to close gaps. The team does have depth at the position with veterans Chuck Darby, Russell Davis, Craig Terrill and Rocky Bernard, and third-round draft choice Brandon Mebane.

Tubbs missed the May and June minicamps, and a handful of teammates missed all or parts of those workouts. But as of Friday night, all the other players who had offseason or 2006 surgery are cleared to practice Sunday, including quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, safeties Michael Boulware and Mike Green, defensive end Patrick Kerney, offensive linemen Floyd Womack and Tom Ashworth, and defensive back Jordan Babineaux.

Welcome Wilson

Josh Wilson was right when he figured he'd get his rookie contract signed Thursday in time for him to report to training camp. The second-round choice was so sure of it that he already was in Kirkland to sign, having flown in a week earlier from his native Maryland.

"I don't negotiate contracts. I don't like to go to combine track meets. I want to play football," Wilson said. "I want to put the pads on and play football, so I told my agent that's what I wanted to do and whatever needed to be done to get that to happen is what I wanted to be done.

"I didn't know what was going on with the whole process. I knew on the 26th I was going to be in."

NOTE

• The Seahawks released former University of Washington LB Marquis Cooper and signed K Kurt Smith. Cooper played in one regular-season game and one playoff game last season, both on special teams. Smith is an undrafted rookie from Virginia.

José Miguel Romero: 206-464-2409 or jromero@seattletimes.com