RENTON - The Seahawks signed the 6-foot-3 receiver Braylon Edwards, a former top-10 who has bounced around playing for three teams in the past three seasons.

And if it sounds like Edwards signed to take the spot Mike Williams held, well, that's certainly Seattle's hope. Edwards has been given the No. 17, which Williams wore in his two seasons here.

Edwards was the No. 3 overall pick in 2005, chosen out of Michigan by Cleveland. He had a breakthrough in 2007 when he finished with 1,289 yards receiving and scored 16 touchdowns.

That has been the high point of his career as he was traded from Cleveland to the New York Jets after four games in 2009 and was not re-signed by the Jets after 2010.

He was signed by San Francisco last year, but appeared in only nine games and requested his release before the regular season ended.

Adding Edwards, 29, to the roster is a low-risk investment for the Seahawks. They get a physical specimen of a receiver on a one-year investment.

That formula worked with Williams two years ago. The Seahawks signed him to a one-year deal after he had been out of the NFL entirely for two years and he came back to lead the Seattle in receptions with 65 catches in 2010.

Williams was slowed by injuries last season and released earlier this month.

It remains to be seen where Edwards will fit in with the receiver rotation. Is he someone who will be in the mix at split end along with Golden Tate, Ricardo Lockette and Kris Durham? Or is he someone who plays flanker, the spot where Sidney Rice is the starter, but has been limited in practice as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgeries?