Seahawks re-sign LB Leroy Hill

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RENTON, Wash. -- Just when it appears his time in Seattle might be done, Leroy Hill ends up back with the Seahawks.

Hill, the Seahawks starting outside linebacker last season, agreed to a one-year deal Thursday to stay with the only team he's ever played for during an NFL career that's now spanned seven seasons of success, injuries and off-field problems.

Terms of Hill's deal were not released, but it'll be the second straight season Hill is playing with the Seahawks on a one-year contract. He's just one of two remaining players off Seattle's NFC champion team in 2005 when Hill was a rookie. The other is cornerback Marcus Trufant, who was released earlier in the offseason only to re-sign Monday, also on a one-year deal.

Seattle also agreed to a one-year deal with backup linebacker and special teams standout Matt McCoy.

Hill is coming off the first full season of his career, having never played more than 15 games before the 2011 season. After playing just one game in 2010, Hill started all 16 games at outside linebacker and finished with 89 tackles and four sacks.

Then came off-field problems yet again for Hill, although they were quickly resolved. He was arrested in late February for marijuana possession in Georgia. Police with scent dogs were responding to calls of a marijuana smell at the condominium where Hill lives. Officers said they confirmed the smell, obtained a search warrant and found partially smoked blunts and marijuana residue inside Hill's residence. Hill had previously been arrested in January 2009 on a marijuana possession charge and in April 2010 for domestic violence -- just after Pete Carroll had taken over in charge of the Seahawks.

But the latest charges were dropped a week after Hill's arrest when urine tests taken after the arrest came up negative. His return gives added depth to a linebackers unit that already saw starting middle linebacker David Hawthorne head off to New Orleans after agreeing to a deal with the Saints.

Hill made $685,000 in base salary for the 2011 season. He had to restructure his contract and take a $4 million pay cut just to remain with Seattle in 2010.

McCoy was a special teams standout for the Seahawks during the 2010 season and early in 2011. His season ended in Week 3 when then-teammate Aaron Curry crashed into McCoy's right leg on punt coverage. Before coming to Seattle, McCoy played for Philadelphia, New Orleans and Tampa Bay.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

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