BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- The Philadelphia Eagles believe they found the inside push they need to turbocharge their pass rush, agreeing to terms Saturday with defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins on a 5-year contract worth $25 million.
Shortly thereafter the Eagles sent defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, their first round pick in 2006, to the Cleveland Browns for a fifth round choice in 2012. Bunkley had 6 sacks in five seasons with the Eagles. He lost his job last year to Antonio Dixon.
The 6-2, 305-pound Jenkins notched 7 sacks in 11 games last year with the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.
"This is a guy we didn't think we'd have the opportunity to acquire," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said. "And the way things have worked out in the past few days, when the opportunity came to us we jumped at it. He's a highly coveted player."
Cullen can play inside or outside, having started on the edge in the Packers' 3-4 defense last year. The Eagles want him to supply the inside push they didn't get from Bunkley.
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Jenkins, who turned 30 in January, has 29 sacks in seven seasons.
The Eagles saved almost $2 million in cap room axing Bunkley. Team president Joe Banner said they still have flexibility to sign more free agents, although privately not at the level of Jenkins.
The Eagles also re-signed linebacker Akeem Jordan, an unrestricted free agent.
