FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots announced that they have signed DE Frank Kearse as an unrestricted free agent from the Washington Redskins. Terms of the contract were not announced.
Kearse, 27, is veteran of five NFL seasons with Carolina (2011-12), Dallas (2013) and Washington (2014-15). The 6-foot-5, 310-pounder, has also spent time on the practice squads of Miami (2011) and Tennessee (2013). He originally entered the NFL as a seventh round draft pick (231st overall) by Miami out of Alabama A&M in the 2011 NFL Draft. Kearse has played in 35 games with eight starts and has 43 total tackles, 5 1/2 sacks and one pass defensed. After starting his rookie campaign on the Miami practice squad, he was signed by Carolina to the 53-man roster and rotated between the Panthers practice squad and 53-man roster during his rookie season. Kearse was released by Carolina at the end of training camp in 2013 and started the season on the Tennessee practice squad, before being signed to the 53-man roster by Dallas. He was released by Dallas in the spring of 2014 and was signed by Washington. Last season with the Redskins, he played in four games and finished with four total tackles and 1 sack.
