Bryan Gilmore joins his third NFC West team in Seattle

KIRKLAND — Bryan Gilmore's tour of the NFC West has brought him to the Seahawks.

The ninth-year pro, an undrafted free agent out of NCAA Division II Midwestern State in Wichita Falls, Texas, has managed to make an NFL career out of being a key special-teams contributor and an extra wide receiver.

He began his career with the Arizona Cardinals, spending four seasons there and playing in NFL Europe as a rookie. Then came two seasons in Miami, and in 2006, Gilmore signed with the San Francisco 49ers. He became a free agent after last season.

"I feel like I'm making the rounds," Gilmore said.

Gilmore, 30, was at home with his family when the Seahawks called to bring him in for a workout on the day before training camp began last week. A space was cleared on the roster for him, and now Gilmore's time is devoted to learning the offense and playing gunner on special-teams coverage units.

"It's kind of weird, especially coming here," he said. "I had no contact with this team whatsoever. I definitely wasn't expecting that phone call. But you know, I'm just looking at it like I'm getting myself in shape, getting my legs back up under me and whatever happens, happens. I'll be ready to play for the season."

Gilmore has faced his new teammates several times as player for the Cardinals and 49ers. The Seahawks have won the division the past four seasons, and Gilmore recalls tough battles against them.

"They always played fast," he said. "Now I see why. It's a very up-tempo team. They don't wait for anything. They get out and go."

Despite the frustration of adjusting to a new offense, he can tell the difference between other places he's played and Seattle.

"They have a winning mentality [here]. Everywhere else I've been, when things are not going too well, it seems like everybody just gets frustrated and panicked," Gilmore said. "Here, they just stay with the plan and things turn around. You can tell that's the way that they play."

Injury updates

Coach Mike Holmgren said he is hopeful that starting center Chris Spencer (offseason shoulder surgery) and backup Chris Gray (back injury) can return in five or six days. Gray was hurt Saturday and Spencer has practiced once in camp.

The reason for quarterback Matt Hasselbeck's limp Sunday morning was that he got his foot stepped on. But Hasselbeck looked fine in Monday's practice.

Defensive end Patrick Kerney, who injured a calf on Sunday, will be shut down so it can heal, Holmgren said.

Wide receiver Courtney Taylor injured a hamstring Monday morning but the injury is not believed to be serious. And defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs and wide receiver Deion Branch looked nimble in agility drills away from practice, darting in and out of cones. The two are rehabilitating from surgeries. Branch's target date for his return is still the first regular-season game, Holmgren said.

A special day

Monday afternoon brought the first special-teams practice of camp. With Nate Burleson now the No. 1 split end on offense, wide receivers Ben Obomanu and Michael Bumpus caught punts. Obomanu dropped one; Bumpus, a rookie from Washington State, mishandled several.

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