The Blue Bird Herd

Adam Schefter is reporting that linebacker Lofa Tatupu has asked the Seahawks for his release, after the team requested that he restructure his contract in the form of taking a paycut.

Tatupu started all 16 games for Seattle at middle linebacker in 2010 but played in only 5 games the previous year due to injury.

A Pro Bowl selection his first three seasons, Lofa has struggled to return to that form in his most recent three years and some would argue that David Hawthorne outperformed Tatupu as the starting middle linebacker when Hawthorne took over during Tatupu’s early season injury in ’09.

The release of Tatupu should mean that Hawthorne, who was Seattle’s starting weak side linebacker in ’10, will move back to the middle, and re-signed veteran Leroy Hill will compete with rookie 4th round pick K.J. Wright for Hawthorne’s impending vacant role on the outside.   Matt McCoy was re-signed as well, to provide depth in the middle although he’s primarily a special teams guy, and Malcolm Smith, a former USC player under Carroll was Seattle’s 7th round selection this year, and he’ll get an opportunity to compete for a depth spot on the outside.

This move should come as no surprise as Tatupu simply hasn’t played at a high enough level to warrant the contract that he’s currently signed to.  Seattle asking him to restructure was the right thing to do.  Leaving is purely Tatupu’s choice.