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Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks re-sign tight end Luke Willson, release cornerback Pierre Desir

Seattle Seahawks tight end Luke Willson looks on during NFL football training camp, Friday, Aug. 21, 2020, in Renton, Wash. After a stint with the Baltimore Ravens, Willson was re-signed by the Seahawks to supplement the tight end position. (Associated Press)
By Bob Condotta Seattle Times

RENTON – The Seahawks on Tuesday re-signed Luke Willson, and the veteran tight end was expected to take part in practice in the afternoon.

So yes, Techno Thursday’s are back, for now, with Willson returning to help fill out the depth at a tight end spot that has been wracked by injuries the past week.

Seattle released cornerback Pierre Desir to make room for Willson. Seattle also waived defensive end Alex Tchangam in a move designed to open up a roster spot for cornerback John Reid, who the team is acquiring from Houston for a conditional seventh-round pick in 2023. The trade is still pending a physical.

Desir signed a one-year contract in the spring as veteran depth at cornerback with the Seahawks hoping he could recapture the form he showed in 2018 and 2019 when he started 23 game for the Colts.

But Desir, playing primarily left corner, had not moved up the depth chart, with rookie Tre Brown moving ahead of him in recent weeks at that spot while working behind starter Ahkello Witherspoon.

Desir played 19 snaps at LCB in Saturday night’s 30-3 loss to the Raiders and Brown 35 behind the 15 of starter Ahkello Witherspoon. Desir’s release also was likely made with the team knowing it was going to add Reid, which keeps the team with seven listed cornerbacks.

This was Desir’s second stint with the Seahawks. He was on the practice squad the final two months of the 2016 season and then with the team through all of camp in 2017 before being cut.

Willson returns to add depth to a tight end spot that has been ravaged by injuries, with both Colby Parkinson and Tyler Mabry dealing with foot issues and the Seahawks cutting Dom Wood-Anderson on Sunday after he committed four penalties in the loss to the Broncos.

Willson will likely be counted on to play significantly in Saturday night’s preseason finale against the Chargers with the top two of Will Dissly and Gerald Everett likely making cameo appearances. Neither has yet played in the preseason.

Willson, 31, was with the Seahawks from 2013-17 and then again in 2019 and 2020 – making two stints with the team last season.

Willson played all 16 games with the Seahawks as a rookie in 2013 as well as all three playoff games as the team won the Super Bowl.

His signing gives Seattle six tight ends – Dissly, Everett, Parkinson, Mabry and Cam Sutton the others.