The Seahawks have signed safety Kevin Ellison to a new contract a week after claiming him off waivers. The team said Tuesday it had to claim the former Charger last week but then waive him and allow him to clear waivers before Seattle could rework a new deal. Ellison is entering his second season.

The Seahawks and Redskins are interested in possibly trading for Chargers wide receiver Vincent Jackson. Sources confirmed that San Diego and Seattle discussed a potential trade earlier this month, but the Chargers turned down the deal. It is not known whether the Redskins have been in contact with the Chargers about Jackson.

Kevin Ellison's stay in Seattle didn't last very long. The Seahawks waived him on Thursday after he failed a physical. "Kevin Ellison didn't last long in Seattle. League source informs that he was waived Thursday as failed physical," Howard Balzer wrote on his Twitter page.

LenDale White is still searching for answers as to why the Seahawks cut him last month. White said Wednesday that he called Pete Carroll to find out what went wrong, but his old coach at USC didn't provide any answers. "Pete, you know, he beat around the bush, just saying -- he just said it wasn't going to work out, they decided to go a new way," White said on WGFX-AM in Nashville. "I asked him, 'Is it anything I did?' He didn't really give me an answer. "When you're sitting there on the phone with somebody like that and they have no answer, it's just shocking. ... I'm not saying he did anything wrong. He didn't give me a clear explanation, but it is what it is. When you're a coach in a situation like that, you probably don't have to give anybody an explanation."

Seahawks wide receiver Deion Branch says he'll be ready for training camp after yet another knee operation. "I feel good. Last year [I] did the same thing and had it cleaned out," Branch said Wednesday. "This year was probably a little lighter, not as intense as last year's surgery. It's just a normal clean out, nothing major. It's nothing that nobody is worried about." Despite Branch's confidence that his knee is fine and it shouldn't be a concern, the April surgery was his third knee operation in two years.

The Seahawks have claimed safety Kevin Ellison off waivers from the Chargers. San Diego released him on Monday following his arrest on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance.

Leon Washington is still working his way back from a broken leg, but Seahawks coach Pete Carroll says the running back will be ready for the 2010 season. Seattle expects him to be ready for the start of training camp despite a metal rod in his right leg. "Yeah, we really do" expect that, Carroll said Tuesday. "We think he's in great shape for this time. He's ahead of schedule right now." The Seahawks acquired Washington from the Jets on April 24.

The Seahawks are going to hire former 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan. Seattle is expected to make an announcement later this week and his exact title isn't yet known. "It's huge for us because Scot is one of the most respected personnel people in the league," Seahawks general manager John Schneider said Monday. "He played a critical role in helping the Seahawks become a Super Bowl team [in 2005] and did a great job in rebuilding the 49ers over the last few years."

Wide receiver Reggie Williams, a former 9th overall pick, has been released by the Seahawks. The moves make roster room for the signings of rookie fourth-round choices Walter Thurmond and E.J. Wilson, plus fifth-round pick Kam Chancellor. Williams, who went to the University of Washington, was signed in April by Seattle.

Former Seahawks and Titans running back LenDale White has admitted to smoking pot while in the NFL. White says that it was his use of the drug that triggered the four-game suspension he's facing. "I did it, so it is my fault," White told the Tennessean. "I smoked marijuana; that is all I have ever done. That's all I do, that's it. I smoke. I don't care about any other drugs, but it's marijuana. ... But I have changed. I am a good man. Unfortunately the stuff that I did in my recent past caught up to me in the present and it's affecting my future." White was cut by Seattle last month.