Report: Seahawks sign LS Tyler Ott

Update: Free-agent long-snapper Tyler Ott has seemed to publicly refute the report from Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post that he has signed with the Seahawks. He tweeted Saturday morning at Wilson, “better check your ‘source.'”

The Seahawks have reportedly signed free-agent long-snapper Tyler Ott, a move that would clear up their plans at a position that has been in flux for months.

The report of Ott’s addition by Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post came Friday afternoon, less than 24 hours before the Seahawks and every other team are required to establish their 53-man rosters. Signing Ott now indicates that he and not Nolan Frese will be Seattle’s long-snapper in 2016, at least to begin with.

Ott, 24, is a third-year player who went undrafted out of Harvard in 2014. He finished last season with the Giants after season-ending injuries to two other long-snappers. The Giants waived him earlier this week as part of their initial cut-downs to reach the 75-man roster limit, an expected move as their primary long-snapper, Zak DeOssie, is again healthy.

Ott is the fourth long-snapper the Seahawks have signed since releasing Clint Gresham in March, a move that was less about his performance and more about the $660,000 Seattle saved against the salary cap by doing so. Gresham was entering the second year of a three-year, $2.7 million contract and the Seahawks wanted to get cheaper at that position.

Seattle signed Andrew East, then Drew Ferris and then Frese, who had five off-target snaps over Seattle’s second and third preseason games, one of which led to a missed field goal after throwing off kicker Steven Hauschka’s timing.

Coach Pete Carroll said earlier this week that a shoulder injury was affecting Frese’s snapping and that his issues could be resolved now that he’s healthier. Frese made it through Seattle’s preseason finale Thursday without any snapping issues, but that apparently wasn’t enough to keep his job.