Seahawks busy as season nears

SEATTLE – Leroy Hill’s future appeared tenuous this month, the linebacker in danger of being cut out of Seattle’s plans until he agreed to a new deal Tuesday for a lot less money and more short-term security.

That was just the first bit of Seahawks news on what amounted to the busiest day for Seattle’s front office since April’s draft.

Josh Wilson, who was competing to be a starting cornerback, was traded to Baltimore for a fifth-round pick in next year’s draft. And Seattle acquired offensive tackle Tyler Polumbus, trading a late 2012 draft pick to Detroit to acquire the lineman Seattle tried to claim on waivers last week.

Seattle still has three days before cutting its roster to 53 players, but the team is clearly taking shape. And it appears that Hill is going to be part of the team, something that was a serious question even though he was only in the second year of a five-year contract he signed last year.

Hill will be suspended for the league opener for violating the league’s policy on substance abuse, and he potentially faces more discipline after he was arrested in April and charged with fourth-degree assault following a dispute with his live-in girlfriend. Hill avoided trial earlier this month in Issaquah, Wash., on the misdemeanor charge, which will be dismissed if he complies with all court stipulations for the next 18 months.

However, the NFL still might rule that he violated the league’s personal conduct policy and is subject to further discipline. The contract Hill signed last year called for him to make $6 million in 2010, a salary that was guaranteed. However, those guarantees would have been voided if Hill faces discipline for the assault charge, and Seattle could cut him without owing him anything.

His contract has been reworked, his base salary reduced from $6 million to $2.125 million. Most of Hill’s base salary is guar- anteed, and if he meets incentives, he could earn $3 million this season.

The contract was also shortened. The contract expires after this season.

“Both sides just felt like we could come up with a solution,” Seahawks general manager John Schneider said. “Leroy’s representatives did a nice job of figuring out a solution for the situation.”

Hill, 27, has been a starter for Seattle since midway through his rookie season in 2005. He began training camp working with the second- unit defense, but suffered a sprained knee the first week of practice and has not practiced since.

“We really like the way Leroy plays and we’re looking forward to him playing for us,” coach Pete Carroll said.

Of course, Seattle liked the way Wilson played, too, but that didn’t stop them from trading him.

“This is an opportunity for us that came along because of our depth and our situation at the cornerback position that we’re very happy with,” Carroll said.