The Seahawks added some needed depth at the center spot Monday by bringing back a familiar name — Lemuel Jeanpierre.
Jeanpierre has been with the team since 2011 though he was released prior to the 2014 season and then brought back in November after starter Max Unger was sidelined with ankle and knee injuries.
Jeanpierre started three games at center last season — wins at San Francisco and Philadelphia and home against San Francisco — and has started 11 games of 53 in which he has played with Seattle since 2011.
Jeanpierre became an unrestricted free agent after the season.
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He becomes the third player listed as a center on the roster, joining Patrick Lewis — who moved past Jeanpierre as the backup center late in the season — and free agent signee Jared Wheeler. Drew Nowak, listed as a guard, can also play center.
Seattle has been searching to add bodies at center since the trade of Unger in March as part of the deal in which tight end Jimmy Graham was acquired from New Orleans.
Free agent Stefen Wisniewski, who visited the Seahawks last month, signed on Saturday with Jacksonville but the Seahawks could still look to add other veterans who remain available, such as Chris Myers, formerly of Houston and who also has visited. Seattle also could look to get a center in the draft.
The Seahawks began their off-season training program on Monday with two weeks of strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation.