Thursday, July 18, 2002 LeRoy Butler Josh Evans Levon Kirkland ProFootballWeekly.com asks personnel expert Joel Buchsbaum for his thoughts on the hottest topics in football. Injury forces Packers S Butler to retire DT Evans signs with persistent Jets DT Josh Evans, who last week won an appeal to have his third substance abuse suspension overturned, was signed Wednesday by the Jets. The 29-year-old had 77 tackles and a career-high 5.5 sacks for Tennessee last season after returning from a one-year suspension. He also forced a fumble and defended two passes. He was suspended for the third time last March just as the Jets were about to sign him. The Jets remained in contact with Evans while the appeal was pending. LB Kirkland signs with Eagles LB Levon Kirkland, a two-time Pro Bowl selection who helped the Pittsburgh Steelers to the 1995 Super Bowl, has signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. Kirkland said he did not know whether he would start or be in a backup role, but is taking "the shortest route to the Super Bowl by joining the Eagles." He was released by Seattle last Friday. Kirkland, 6-foot-1 and 275 pounds, spent the 2001 season with the Seahawks after playing with the Steelers the previous nine seasons. He finished with 101 tackles, one sack and forced two fumbles. Buchsbaum: The Eagles signed Kirkland as a fallback guarantee against Barry Gardner not being able to do it at middle linebacker. The problem with Kirkland is he has been unable to control his weight and at his age, he has to do that. There were times last year in Seattle when he probably weighed more than any member of his defensive line and the same could apply in Philadelphia. The fact that he did go to the Duke diet clinic to lose weight did impress the Eagles a lot more than it impressed Seattle. He still has good instincts and could be an effective tackle-to-tackle plugger, but, at the very best, he is basically a two-down, run-down linebacker at this stage in his career. | |
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