ESPN.com: NFL - Evans reaches three-year, $3.8M deal with Seattle

The Seattle Seahawks addressed perhaps their biggest defensive shortcoming Friday, reaching a contract agreement with free agent cornerback Doug Evans. The deal reunites the nine-year veteran with coach Mike Holmgren.

Doug Evans
Evans

Released earlier this spring by the Carolina Panthers for salary cap reasons, Evans is coming off a 2001 season in which he had eight interceptions, third most in the NFC. He will sign a three-year contract worth $3.8 million.

Evans, 31, should compete for a starting job in a Seattle secondary that remains unsettled mostly because of the still uncertain status of cornerback Shawn Springs, who is recovering from the severe hamstring injury that sidelined him much of last season.

Holmgren and defensive coordinator Steve Sidwell have been attempting to convert starter Willie Williams to "nickel" status for two seasons now, and the addition of Evans should speed such a move. The Seahawks also have a pair of young corners in Ken Lucas and Ike Charlton, but the latter was absent from this week's start of the offseason conditioning program. Holmgren was the head coach in Green Bay when Evans was the Packers' sixth-round pick in the 1993 draft.

"I know Doug is thrilled to be back with Mike and I think the Seattle coaches are excited about having him there," said agent Steve Weinberg. "It's a great fit for everybody."

Seattle will become the third team for Evans, who played five seasons in Green Bay (1993-97) and four in Carolina (1998-2001). He signed with the Panthers as a free agent in '98.

Evans has been among the league's most consistent cornerbacks the past several years. He is most effective playing "press" coverages, but has improved his technique in "off-man" situations and in zone packages. The former Louisiana Tech star has at least one interception in each of his nine years in the league.

For his career, Evans has played in 136 games and started 117 of them. He has 569 tackles, 26 interceptions, 120 passes defensed, 11 forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.