Houshmandzadeh sent packing as Seahawks revamp WR corps

Rumor became reality as the Seahawks parted ways with veteran WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh on Saturday afternoon, one season after signing the former Pro Bowler to a five-year, $40 million deal. Houshmandzadeh caught 79 passes for Seattle in 2009, but quickly ran out of favor with new head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates. He will, however, receive his guaranteed salary of $7 million for 2010. The 32-year-old was eased out in the club’s youth movement at the position. Seattle drafted Golden Tate in the second round this past April, and strong training camps from Deon Butler and Ben Obomanu also helped decide the Seahawks to head toward a different direction. Most importantly, the emergence of former first-round bust Mike Williams — who played for Carroll at USC — sealed Houshmandzadeh’s fate. One of the biggest surprises of the NFL exhibition season, Williams will join Deion Branch in the starting lineup, with Tate serving as the third rece...