It looks like the Seattle Seahawks have found a new kicker, signing ex-Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh, more than a year after he inadvertently helped the Seahawks escape the Vikings in a playoff game. The signing could mean the end of unrestricted free agent Steven Hauschka.
According to a report from CBS Sports, the Seahawks made the announcement last Thursday that they have added the veteran to their roster. Walsh was cut by the Vikings three months ago.
The report adds that Walsh is known in Seattle for inadvertently helping the Seahawks escape the Vikings in a playoff game when he shanked a 27-yard field goal. The Seahawks escaped that game with a 10-9 victory.
The report said that Walsh wasn't able to recover from that embarrassment and it showed in his play during 2016 season, having the NFL's second-lowest field goal percentage. Of course, Walsh will have to compete for kicker slot with the Seahawks' Hauschka, who has the fourth-highest field goal percentage in the NFL at 89.2 percent.
Hauschka struggled on the extra point, though, making only 82.9 percent of his attempts, which is only better than Walsh and Mike Nugent. The signing of Walsh, however, could possibly lead to the Seahawks letting go of Hauschka, according to a report from The Seattle Times.
The report said that with Hauschka's $8.5 million contracts ending, the team's desire to get younger and cheaper, and his uncharacteristic miss during the 2016 season had led to speculation that the kicker has seen his last days with the Seahawks. The team's coach, Pete Carroll, didn't hold back on his disappointment with Hauschka during his press conference at the end of the season.
"Unfortunately he had gotten a little stink with kicking the extra points,'' Carroll said. "I was really excited that he finished the season on a good note and he hit everything that he had a chance to hit because he knew he was up against it, he knew he needed to show that."
Carrol adds that he wished that the great kicks could have happened weeks earlier. However, the CBS Sports report said that the team still plans to hold on to Hauschka and have him and Walsh compete for the spot.
The report adds that it remains to be seen, though, if Hauschka is happy with this signing, as this could be seen as a slap in his face. Check out the Seattle Seahawks' 2016 highlights in the video below.
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