Goines Goes, But Not Davis World League’s Top Receiver Hangs On With Seahawks

Tyree Davis made it, but Eddie Goines didn’t.

Davis, who led the World League with 738 yards receiving for Barcelona this spring, was among six wideouts kept by coach Dennis Erickson in the Seattle Seahawks’ final cut to 53 players Sunday.

Goines was one of seven released. The others were sixth-year tight end Ronnie Williams, third-year linebacker Glen Young, second-year linebacker Eric Unverzagt, second-year guard Andrew Greene and two rookies - safety Eric Stokes and defensive tackle Myron Elzy. Elzy was waived with an injury settlement.

The release of Stokes left the Seahawks with two rookies on their final roster: first-rounders Shawn Springs and Walter Jones. Stokes was a fifth-round draft pick from Nebraska.

In addition, the Seahawks released second-year safety T.J. Cunningham, who was waived from the physically unable to perform list.

Goines, a sixth-round draft choice in 1995, still hasn’t fully recovered from a knee injury.

Davis, 26, was a seventh-round choice of Tampa Bay in 1993 and has played one game in the NFL. He was cut by Tampa Bay after the ‘95 season, signed by Cincinnati as a free agent and released last year.

Davis helped Barcelona win the World League title. Barcelona’s quarterback was Jon Kitna, who will be Seattle’s No. 3 quarterback.

“Last week, I figured that the cutdown would be made at my position, and I walked in and saw Eddie sitting there,” Davis said. “I said, ‘Well, I guess that’s just another week where I have to go walking on eggshells.”’

In Friday night’s exhibition finale in Cincinnati, which the Seahawks won 31-28, Davis caught six passes for 67 yards and Goines five for 52 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown.

During the preseason, Davis caught 15 for 177 yards and two touchdowns, while Goines made 14 catches for 152 yards and one touchdown.

“Me and Tyree both knew it was going to be between one of us who was going to be released,” Goines said. “But I felt like I edged him out. I felt I’ve been practicing well …”

Erickson said that wide receiver Joey Galloway, who suffered a sprained big toe in the Cincinnati game, has “a decent chance” of playing in Sunday’s season opener against the New York Jets, while wide receiver James McKnight and backup defensive end Martin Harrison (sprained knees), each will miss 3-4 games. The status of Brian Blades, who missed the last three exhibition games with a bruised knee, is unclear, the coach said.