RENTON, Wash. -- The Seattle Seahawks have released defensive lineman Kentwan Balmer.
The former first-round pick of the 49ers struggled to find a role that fit in Seattle's defense. Balmer was acquired from the San Francisco 49ers for a sixth-round draft pick last August and appeared in all 16 games for Seattle in 2010. Balmer started 11 games between defensive tackle and defensive end for the Seahawks after injuries forced him into an increased role. He finished the year with a career-high 43 tackles.
In Balmer's place, the Seahawks have re-signed running back Vai Taua, who had been released by the team on Monday.
Second-year cornerback Walter Thurmond practiced for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, according to the *Seattle Post Intelligencer,* a welcome sign for the Seahawks secondary. Thurmond is expected to compete for a starting spot alongside Marcus Trufant, and Tuesday was his first practice since spraining his ankle on the second day of camp.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.