By Len Pasquarelli ESPN.com In a sudden turn of events, free agent defensive end Jevon Kearse reached an eight-year, $66 million agreement with the Eagles on Wednesday, ESPN.com has learned. Kearse will get a $16 million signing bonus and $4 million in roster bonuses that he will collect in the first two years of the deal. The Bears and Redskins were considered the frontrunners to sign Kearse, perhaps the most coveted free agent available on the market. Kearse has spent his entire five-year career with the Titans, notching a career-high 14½ sacks in his rookie season. Kearse had 9½ sacks in 14 games last season. Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com
At that price, I'm glad the Texans didn't jump in. I'm pretty surprised that he got such an enormous signing bonus despite his injury history. Guess the Eagles are going for broke the next few years. Can't blame them though. It's hard to lose in the conference championships three straight years years. At least the Bills of the 90s made it to super bowls.
Sadly, I must say good riddance. $16 million signing bonus? Are you kidding me? Bring on Antwaan Odom
... and yet their wide receivers STILL suck. If they don't do something about their WR corps, it'll be another almost-Super Bowl year for the Eagles, even with Kearse.
"The Freak" Jevon Kearse signs w/ the Eagles http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=1750089&partnersite=espn Kearse's record deal includes $16M bonus The biggest name in unrestricted free agency has flown (to) the coop, with free agent defensive end Jevon Kearse reaching a contract agreement with the Eagles. In a deal that makes Kearse the highest-paid defensive lineman in NFL history, he will sign an eight-year contract worth $66 million. The pass-rush terror nicknamed "The Freak" will receive a signing bonus of $16 million. There are additional roster bonuses of $2 million each in the first two seasons, essentially guaranteeing $20 million of the deal. Kearse, 27, will earn $24 million in the first three years of the contract. Flush with more than $25 million in available cap room, Philadelphia nonetheless flew below the radar in its pursuit of Kearse, who the team clearly feels has recovered from a series of injuries that limited him to 18 games over the past two seasons. Despite their need for an outside rusher of Kearse's ilk, the Eagles were never prominently mentioned as a viable suitor for the services of the standout defensive end. But the Eagles, and in particular team president Joe Banner, arguably the premier salary cap manager in the NFL, quickly made contact with agent Drew Rosenhaus shortly after the midnight start to the signing period. It is believed the two sides negotiated through much of the night and well into Wednesday before striking a deal. The deal is a bit uncharacteristic for the Eagles, who normally don't come out of the blocks so quickly in free agency, and who are not prone to adding such high-profile players to the mix. Other teams believed to have been involved in the Kearse Sweepstakes were Chicago and Seattle. The Washington Redskins were mentioned around the league as the team that was most likely to land Kearse but, for one of the few times in his stewardship of that franchise, it appears owner Dan Snyder finally met a price tag on which he gagged. Several league sources told ESPN.com a few hours before Kearse's agreement with the Eagles that the Redskins had ceased their pursuit. The agreement marks the second blockbuster negotiated by Rosenhaus and brother Jason Rosenhaus this week. On Monday, tailback Clinton Portis, who is being traded from the Broncos to the Redskins, agreed to an eight-year, $50.5 million contract that made him the richest running back in league history. There is also some irony involved here since Rosenhaus represents Hugh Douglas, the veteran defensive end who exited the Eagles last spring in free agency, signing instead with the Jaguars. While Douglas struggled for the first half of last season, most observers still believe his departure had a negative effect, both on the field and in the locker room, on the Eagles. Having appeared in three straight NFC title games, and lost all of them, the Eagles seem more intent than ever in capturing a Super Bowl berth in 2004. The addition of Kearse will immediately upgrade the front four, provide a big-time pass-rush threat to a unit that collected 38 sacks in 2003 but didn't have an individual player with more than 7½ sacks, and give innovative coordinator Jim Johnson another weapon for his arsenal. League sources contended Wednesday afternoon that the Eagles might also explore the possibility of trading for San Francisco wide receiver Terrell Owens. In five seasons with the Titans, Kearse had 192 tackles and 47½ sacks, with 19 forced fumbles and 19 pass deflections. The former University of Florida star, a first-round pick in 1999, averaged a dozen sacks in his first three seasons, including a league rookie record 14½. But foot injuries in 2002 sidelined him for all but four regular-season games. He missed four games in 2003 with a variety of leg injuries.
Sadly, I must say good riddance. $16 million signing bonus? Are you kidding me? Bring on Antwaan Odom
He is a freak by any standard who didn't get the pub that Kearse got out of school for sure. He's 6-5, can jump out of the gym and is strong as an ox. Ouch! Up, up, and away. Check out this story on the man: link Freak indeed.
With the Eagles signing Kearse for so much and apparently going for Owens also it makes me wonder will they have enough cap room to sign ANY of THEIR premiere free agents, such as Staley (which I doubt they want to keep), Vincent, Taylor, and Emmons?
According to ESPN, they are still $25+ million under the cap. They have plenty of room to sign Owens and others. Stupid move giving Kearse that much money though.
They would have to trade for, not sign Owens, who BTW is making a pretty reasonable salary for a star.
You are correct sir. They have 72 hours to actively pursue a trade, before Owens must accept that he'll be back with the Niners. Hell, maybe they signed the Freak just to trade him for T.O.?
I read that article and thought it stated the Eagles were $25 million below the cap before they signed Kearse. Did I read it wrong?
According to John Clayton Below is the amount of money each team is under or over the $80,582,000 million salary cap for 2004 as of March 4. TEAM-BY-TEAM SALARY CAP UPDATE Team Cap status Arizona Cardinals $15.8 million under Atlanta Falcons $3.3 million under Baltimore Ravens $9.74 million under Buffalo Bills $6.87 million under Carolina Panthers $1.2 million under Chicago Bears $17.2 million under Cincinnati Bengals $7.73 million under Cleveland Browns $2.1 million under Dallas Cowboys $12.6 million under Denver Broncos $8.4 million under Detroit Lions $17.51 million under Green Bay Packers $1.7 million under Houston Texans $14.12 million under Indianapolis Colts $6.18 million under Jacksonville Jaguars $12.54 million under Kansas City Chiefs $5.34 million under Miami Dolphins $12.9 million under Minnesota Vikings $31.5 million under New England Patriots $3.6 million under New Orleans Saints $16.3 million under New York Giants $4.3 million under New York Jets $5.2 million under Oakland Raiders $7.8 million under Philadelphia Eagles $25.55 million under Pittsburgh Steelers $2.43 million under St. Louis Rams $3.22 million under San Diego Chargers $7.45 million under San Francisco 49ers $2.38 million under Seattle Seahawks $6.94 million under Tampa Bay Buccaneers $5.22 million under Tennessee Titans $1.18 million under Washington Redskins $10.24 million under
