The Buffalo Bills hosted linebacker Christian Kirksey on a free agent visit last week. The team he visited with prior to that was apparently too tempting to turn down.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter via his agent, Kirksey has signed a two-year, $16 million deal with the Packers on Monday. While the NFL’s league year doesn’t begin until Wednesday for players on expiring contracts, Kirksey is able to actually sign before then because his former team, the Browns, already released him.
Some projected Kirksey, 27, as the type of player that could fill the shoes of the recently-retired Lorenzo Alexander in Buffalo’s defense. Instead, Kirksey will reunite with his former head coach in Cleveland, Mike Pettine, who’s now the Packers defensive coordinator, the same role he once held with the Bills.
What also might have made the difference between the two options is the payday Kirksey got, perhaps a sum that was a little higher than some projected for him because of the time he’s missed due to injury in recent seasons. He only played in two games in 2019 and in the past two seasons combine, only nine of a possible 32.
Along with visiting the Packers and Bills, Kirksey also reportedly had his first visit with the Raiders.
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