The Sports Xchange

Long snapper Nate Boyer was released by the Seattle Seahawks.

The Seahawks are parting with the former Green Beret to make room for quarterback Jake Waters.

Boyer, 34, taught himself to be a long snapper while deployed overseas and then walked on at the University of Texas at age 29 and became a three-year starter. He signed with the Seahawks following the 2015 draft.

General manager John Schneider took the transaction hard, according to FOX Sports. He admitted in May that he was particularly fond of Boyer because of his story.

“You fall in love through the process with guys, and giving people opportunities for different reasons, all the way through the draft,” Schneider said.”(Nate) is just a phenomenal person, and he’s a competitor, and he’s tough, and he represents a lot of really, really cool things that quite frankly I think will be good for all of us to be around.”

Boyer was four inches shorter, 20 pounds lighter and six years older than incumbent starting long snapper Clint Gresham.

Waters was needed with backup quarterback Tarvaris Jackson sidelined.