Notebook | Seahawks get to know new receivers, punter

RENTON — Billy McMullen shook hands and exchanged quick embraces with fullback Owen Schmitt and other teammates.

Jon Ryan, surrounded by reporters, must have heard defensive end Jason Babin when Babin walked by and shouted "Opie Taylor all grown up!" in reference to Ryan's red hair and freckles.

These were ways in which the Seahawks welcomed their three new players — wide receivers McMullen and Samie Parker and punter Ryan. The three made their practice debuts as Seahawks on Wednesday, a day after a roster shake-up that saw the team add veterans Rocky Bernard and Jordan Babineaux to the 53-man active roster after they served suspensions, sign McMullen and Ryan after a tryout and release receiver Jordan Kent, running back Justin Forsett and punter Ryan Plackemeier. Parker was signed Wednesday.

Kent cleared waivers and was back with the Seahawks on the practice squad. He ran onto the field soon after practice started and wide-receivers coach Keith Gilbertson serenaded him with the words, "About time you came back to work!" Forsett was claimed by the Indianapolis Colts, his agent said, and was spotted saying goodbye to his teammates at Seahawks headquarters Wednesday.

"Exciting," McMullen said. "Good to be back in the league."

McMullen hadn't been employed since spending the exhibition season with Washington. Before that, the last time he played in an NFL regular-season game was 2006.

Parker, a former fourth-round draft pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 2004, is a veteran like McMullen who has bounced around the league.

He was a full-time starter for Kansas City in 2006 but found himself looking for work after last season. Denver released him Aug. 26 and Carolina signed Parker, only to let him go a few days later.

"It was just real exciting getting the chance to come out here and show the coaching staff what I was able to do when they had me work out," said Parker, a former Oregon star. "Hopefully the way they throw the ball around here, everybody gets to look good."

Ryan said Green Bay, his former team, wasn't happy about a couple of aspects of his game and decided to let him go. The 26-year-old Canadian also held for field goals during Wednesday's practice.

"This is my fifth year of pro football, playing two years in Canada, and coming here [to the NFL] you learn really quick that nothing's really surprising," Ryan said. "You always expect the unexpected."

McMullen and Parker give the Seahawks four receivers plus the possibility of a fifth with backup quarterback Seneca Wallace. Coach Mike Holmgren said their roles in the rotation and how much they play depends on how much they absorb from practice and the playbook, and how well receivers Courtney Taylor and Logan Payne practice this week.

Sims out for year

The Seahawks had two roster spots open when wide receiver Nate Burleson and right guard Rob Sims went on injured reserve and are out for the year. Sims was designated Wednesday, leaving room to sign Parker.

Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack will step in for Sims at right guard. In the meantime, Ray Willis will remain at right tackle for the injured Sean Locklear, who is expected back next week. The Seahawks could make another roster move and add an interior lineman as insurance before then.

"I would say everyone stay on your toes," Holmgren said. "That's the best way to put that. There's a chance we're not finished making moves this week."

Note

• Holmgren hopes to have injured WRs Deion Branch and Bobby Engram back after the bye week at the end of this month. That would have them missing the next two games, though Branch practiced Wednesday. "My arm feels fine and I can run and do some different things," Engram said, "but there's a physical aspect of getting tackled and slammed to the ground by a 250-pound linebacker that we have to take into account."