Ex-Hawks wishing Seattle well

In a house on the street named in his honor, Leo Araguz is contemplating retirement from the NFL.

The former Seahawks punter turned 36 on Jan. 18. He doesn't know where his kicking shoes are. He has punted in NFL Europe, the XFL and for four different NFL teams since 1996.

Life has slowed down in the border town of Harlingen, Texas, from where Araguz is pulling for his former teammates as they prepare for Super Bowl XL.

Araguz, you may or may not remember, was the punter and holder for the Seahawks for the first four weeks of the season. He averaged about 44 yards per punt in his first two games, then went into a slump over the next two.

After a 33-yard average against Washington in Week 4, Araguz was released. The team brought last year's punter, Tom Rouen, back for another go-round.

Now Araguz is monitoring the Seahawks from afar. He will soon have a talk with his family and agent before deciding what his future holds.

"I know the business," Araguz said. "I know the bad side of it, but it doesn't affect the relationship I had with the coaches and my teammates. People expect me to say something mean or something negative, but they didn't know the relationship I had with the players. They were part of my family. ... I wish everybody the best, especially the guys I got to know."

For Araguz, those included kicker Josh Brown, long snapper J.P Darche and defensive end Joe Tafoya. Araguz said he enjoyed watching Seahawks highlights this season and often checked up on how the team was doing. He hasn't kicked since he left Seattle, and still has yet to go to a Super Bowl after all or parts of seven seasons in the NFL.

"Everybody's goal is to get to the Super Bowl," he said. "In my case, with the humble beginnings I had, I was just blessed to play."

There are other Seahawks who figured they'd be around to be a part of history. Guys who went to training camp with the team last summer after being starters or key role players on last year's playoff team. Guys like defensive tackles Rashad Moore and Cedric Woodard, defensive end Antonio Cochran, linebacker Tracy White, running back Kerry Carter and safety Terreal Bierria.

All were released after camp and before the season began. White and Cochran found work with other teams during the season, and Carter has since signed with the Washington Redskins and will take part in their offseason minicamps later this year.

Personnel decisions were made, and these players find themselves trying to keep their playing dreams alive. Araguz, Carter and White weren't too bitter about being released, and in fact wish their friends well.

"I love those guys," said Carter, who kept busy after his September release by staying in shape, finishing a book of poems and expanding his Internet-based clothing line. "When you've been through a lot with those guys, it's good to see them come out where they should be. I hoped I could be part of it. You want to see the fruits of your labor. I don't regret any of my time with them."

Carter, who lives in the greater Seattle area, made the team as an undrafted free agent in 2003 and spent two seasons as a return specialist and special-teams contributor. He's still tight with current Seahawks Maurice Morris, Mack Strong and Jerramy Stevens. He called his pals after the NFC Championship Game to congratulate them on making it to the Super Bowl.

"I told them to seal the deal and finish it off," Carter said.

He said being released might have been a blessing in disguise, because he would still have been behind Morris and Shaun Alexander on the running-back depth chart.

"It is what it is. Tim Ruskell [team president] had a plan," Carter said. "He had things he wanted to do. I did my best. They went with people they figured would get them to this point, and it worked."

White caught on with the Jacksonville Jaguars after his release and played on special teams for them this season. He's in Charleston, S.C., plans to throw a Super Bowl party and remains good friends with fellow linebackers and former teammates D.D. Lewis and Isaiah Kacyvenski.

"I always knew they could do it," White said. "We, I mean they, made less mistakes."

White said it hurt a little to be let go, but he felt he did everything he could as a Seahawk. White made the team as an undrafted free agent in 2003 as well.

"I'm happy for everybody over there," he said. "It's a good thing for them."