Jttsaz
03-07-2005, 07:21 PM
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="98%" align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Cards Agree To Terms With FA DE Chike Okeafor </TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD>http://azcardinals.com/des_images//clear.gif</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=black>http://azcardinals.com/des_images//clear.gif</TD></TR><TR><TD>http://azcardinals.com/des_images//clear.gif</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD class=copy>The Arizona Cardinals announced Monday that the team has agreed to terms with free agent defensive end Chike Okeafor (CHEE-kay oh-KEE-fur) on a five-year contract. In accordance with club policy, terms were not disclosed.
Okeafor becomes the third unrestricted veteran free agent to join the Cardinals in the past four days. The team added offensive tackle Oliver Ross (Steelers) on Friday and quarterback Kurt Warner (Giants) on Sunday.
“From playing against them and watching them on film,
guys fly around,” Okeafor said to local media about what attracted him to visit Arizona over the weekend. “There is some heart there definitely. That is very important. You’ve got to believe in victory. The new staff here, they really look like they are doing some good things and turning things around. In talking to them, they are all on the same page and they have that championship attitude and that belief that championship is on the rise, so those are all great things.”
Okeafor (6-4, 265) started 16 regular season games at left defensive end for Seattle in 2004 recording career highs with 8.5 sacks, 53 tackles (41 solo) and 5 forced fumbles. He also started the Seahawks Wild Card contest vs. St. Louis, recording another 2.0 sacks and four tackles.
Originally a third-round selection (89th overall) by San
http://test.azcardinals.com/images/images/okeaformedia.jpgFrancisco in the 1999 NFL Draft out of Purdue, Okeafor has appeared in 89 career regular season games (51 starts) collecting 29 sacks, 216 tackles (161 solo), 11 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery and 1 interception.
The 28-year old Grand Rapids, Michigan native played in 57 (19 starts) games for the 49ers during the 1999-2002 seasons collecting 117 tackles (87 solos), 12.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles. In 2003, Okeafor was signed by Seattle as an unrestricted free agent and collected 8.0 sacks, 47 tackles (33 solos), 2 forced fumbles and 1 interception as a 16 game starter.
"Chike provides all of the key ingredients you look for in a defensive lineman," said Cardinals head coach Dennis Green. "He's smart, hard-working, physical and plays with a lot of intensity. We played against him twice last year and were able to appreciate first-hand his outstanding abilities. I've been a big believer since the day I got here that Arizona has all the ingredients to attract the top NFL free agents and our three signees (Ross, Warner and Okeafor) are a great indication of that."
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Okeafor becomes the third unrestricted veteran free agent to join the Cardinals in the past four days. The team added offensive tackle Oliver Ross (Steelers) on Friday and quarterback Kurt Warner (Giants) on Sunday.
“From playing against them and watching them on film,
guys fly around,” Okeafor said to local media about what attracted him to visit Arizona over the weekend. “There is some heart there definitely. That is very important. You’ve got to believe in victory. The new staff here, they really look like they are doing some good things and turning things around. In talking to them, they are all on the same page and they have that championship attitude and that belief that championship is on the rise, so those are all great things.”
Okeafor (6-4, 265) started 16 regular season games at left defensive end for Seattle in 2004 recording career highs with 8.5 sacks, 53 tackles (41 solo) and 5 forced fumbles. He also started the Seahawks Wild Card contest vs. St. Louis, recording another 2.0 sacks and four tackles.
Originally a third-round selection (89th overall) by San
http://test.azcardinals.com/images/images/okeaformedia.jpgFrancisco in the 1999 NFL Draft out of Purdue, Okeafor has appeared in 89 career regular season games (51 starts) collecting 29 sacks, 216 tackles (161 solo), 11 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery and 1 interception.
The 28-year old Grand Rapids, Michigan native played in 57 (19 starts) games for the 49ers during the 1999-2002 seasons collecting 117 tackles (87 solos), 12.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles. In 2003, Okeafor was signed by Seattle as an unrestricted free agent and collected 8.0 sacks, 47 tackles (33 solos), 2 forced fumbles and 1 interception as a 16 game starter.
"Chike provides all of the key ingredients you look for in a defensive lineman," said Cardinals head coach Dennis Green. "He's smart, hard-working, physical and plays with a lot of intensity. We played against him twice last year and were able to appreciate first-hand his outstanding abilities. I've been a big believer since the day I got here that Arizona has all the ingredients to attract the top NFL free agents and our three signees (Ross, Warner and Okeafor) are a great indication of that."
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