After four disappointing seasons, the Philadelphia Eagles have cut 31-year-old defensive end – and former rookie of the year – Jevon Kearse.
Kearse, a graduate of the University of Florida and a nine-year NFL veteran, was released on Thursday. Kearse was a fearsome player when he was with the Tennessee Titans, a team with which he spent his first five seasons as a pro. It was there that he picked up his nickname – “The Freak” – a moniker that stuck because of his outstanding combination of speed and agility. The Eagles signed Kearse to a big free-agent deal in 2004 – a deal which made him the highest-paid defensive end in NFL history.
His last four seasons with the Eagles, however, have been lackluster to say the least. He was out for most of the 2006 season due to a devastating knee injury, and only managed to rack up 3.5 sacks last season. In all, Kearse played in 45 regular season games for the Eagles and amassed a total of 133 tackles and 22 sacks.
Drew Rosenhaus, who is Kearse’s agent, predicted that Kearse would be cut at the NFL scouting combine last week in Indianapolis. Rosenhaus and the Eagles were not able to come to terms on a new contract. “We thought we had a wonderful career there, they’re a great organization,” said Rosenhaus. “We weren’t able to do it.”
Reporter Les Brown of Philly.com notes that the timing of the cut – about 12 hours before the start of free agency – indicates that the Eagles are confident they will be signing a new defensive end: “When reports surfaced about Kearse being cut last weekend at the NFL scouting combine, team sources that wouldn’t happen until the team had a replacement ready,” writes Brown.
What’s Next for The Freak?
Kearse, who firmly believes that he can still play, attributes his less than stellar performance during the 2007 season to a knee injury he suffered during week 2 against the Giants. That is not outside the realm of possibilities. It is possible that Kearse could sign with a new team and perform well – in other words he could, if you will, experience a return to the athletic prowess that once made him one of the most feared defensive ends in NFL history.
On the other hand, though, it is also possible that due to injuries, he has, unfortunately, been robbed of his abilities on a permanent basis. Such are the risks for professional football players. If that’s the case, then he ought to consider a career as a sports commentator. Or perhaps an acting career might be in his future. Former NFL stars have excelled at both.
Sources:
Terry Brady, Eagles Release NFM Stanout
News-press.com
Les Brown, Eagles Release Defensive End Kearse
Philly.com
