Football
Associated Press 18y

Barber signs one-year deal with Eagles

PHILADELPHIA - Since Shawn Barber left Philadelphia three years ago, the Eagles have tried three players at weakside linebacker.

Now they're going back to Barber.

Less than a week after Kansas City cut him for financial reasons, the 31-year-old Barber signed a one-year deal with the Eagles on Wednesday. Terms of the contract weren't immediately known. Philadelphia also re-signed defensive end Juqua Thomas to a one-year contract.

"I wasn't really interested in going to a new situation," Barber said. "I didn't want to learn a new defense and go through a transition of getting acquainted with a whole new team. Getting the opportunity to be reunited with the guys here, I couldn't pass it up."

Barber upgrades a mediocre linebacker corps that included Keith Adams at the weakside position and Dhani Jones at the strongside spot. Middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter went to his fourth Pro Bowl, but Adams and Jones combined for one interception, one forced fumbled, no sacks and no fumble recoveries last season.

The 6-foot-2, 240-pound Barber is coming off two injury-plagued seasons in which he played a total of 11 games for the Chiefs. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in November 2004 and played in three games last year.

Barber said he's healthy now and will be ready to practice "full bore" at the first minicamp after the NFL draft.

A tenacious player and hard-hitter, Barber started every game in his only season with the Eagles in 2002 and finished with 119 tackles, three fumble recoveries, two interceptions, one forced fumble and one sack.

He signed a seven-year, $30 million contract with Kansas City in 2003 and had 141 tackles, five sacks, two forced fumbles and one interception that year.

"Once you're part of this organization, part of this locker room, you can get drawn away by money, but the majority of guys, in their heart, if you ask them where they prefer to play, it's here," Barber said.

Barber was originally a fourth-round draft pick by Washington in 1998. He had a career-best 148 tackles with the Redskins in 1999.

Barber joined the Eagles after sitting out most of the 2001 season with a torn ACL in his right knee. Philadelphia used Nate Wayne, Mark Simoneau and Adams at weakside linebacker since Barber left. Adams will become an unrestricted free agent.

Thomas played in 16 games with the Eagles last season primarily as a backup. He spent his first four seasons with Tennessee.

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