Wyman: Rocky Mountain `Hi' -- Linebacker Leaves Seattle For Denver

David Wyman, the intense Seahawk starting middle linebacker who once said, "I think I was put on earth to play football," will be playing for Denver this fall.

Wyman, 29, reached agreement on a series of three one-year contracts with the Broncos yesterday. He is the sixth Seahawk and third linebacker to depart this off season via free agency.

Wyman was one of the Seahawks' most inspired but injury-prone players. He once summed up his feelings toward football with three words: "I love it."

He missed eight games with a knee injury in 1990, was on injured reserve for 10 weeks in 1991 with a different knee injury and missed the last five weeks of last season with a foot injury. He suffered last year's injury making a goal-line tackle, his team-high 83rd stop of the season, against Kansas City.

Wyman, Seattle's second-round draft choice from Stanford in 1987, became the focus of Denver attention after the Broncos lost Pro Bowl linebacker Michael Brooks to the New York Giants via free agency. Denver waived promising young linebacker Keith Traylor, who had a clause in his contract that allowed him to shop for a new team.

Bob Ferguson, director of football operations for the Broncos, told the Rocky Mountain News, "He (Wyman) is not as talented as Michael Brooks, and Keith Traylor probably had more potential."

Ferguson added, "There may be better players out there, but the kid is smart and tough. He plays hard. He's a great character guy and he wanted to play in Denver for our numbers (money)."

No contract figures were available. Wyman made $560,000 as a Seahawk last season.

Ferguson said Wyman's recent lack of durability "is a factor. . . . He plays hard but he gets hurt. I think we can still get some production out of him."

With Wyman gone, Red Stephens is elevated to No. 1 on the Seahawk depth chart at middle linebacker and Bob Spitulski will be moved back to middle linebacker after working at outside linebacker in mini-camp.

Stephens is an unsigned restricted free agent who can only sign with Seattle this season.

Spitulski, last year's third-round draft pick, flashed potential before he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Game 4. Wyman's departure increases the chances of E.J. Junior, a 12-year veteran acquired late last season, making the team.

Wyman had signed a one-year Seahawk contract before last season and said the year would be a "trial marriage." He had been unhappy with the decision of Coach Chuck Knox in 1991 to keep him on injured reserve for extra weeks after his knee injury healed.

Coach Tom Flores, said earlier this week he wanted to keep Wyman but wouldn't be surprised if the linebacker took advantage of the new free-agency system to sign with Denver.

----------------------------------------- Seahawk free-agent update

Free agents lost

-- LB David Wyman, to Denver

-- CB Brian Davis, to San Diego

-- LB Greg Clark, to Pittsburgh

-- LB Joe Cain, to Chicago

-- FB-TE James Jones, to Detroit

-- WR Louis Clark, to Green Bay

Free agents signed

-- TE Ferrell Edmunds, from Miami

-- WR Kelvin Martin, from Dallas

-- OLB Kevin Murphy, from San Diego

-- OG Mitch Frerotte, from Buffalo Key players also acquired

-- C Ray Donaldson, released by Indianapolis

-- CB Stacey Hairston, CFL