Aaron Kampman Signs With Jacksonville

ack where he belongs.

No, not in Green Bay.

In a 4-3 defense.

Kampman, a two-time Pro Bowler who got lost in the Packers' switch to a 3-4 scheme last season, reached a contract agreement early Sunday with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Though coming off season-ending knee injury, Kampman was the best pass rusher not named Julius Peppers when the free-agency signing period began Friday.

The deal was reportedly worth $26 million over four years with $11 million guaranteed.

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The acquisition of Kampman, 29, could have more far-reaching impact than just improving a pathetic pass-rushing unit. The Jaguars had a league-low 14 sacks in 2009 -- eight less than the next-worst club (Kansas City) -- so a defensive end was the club's No. 1 priority heading into the offseason. The Jags, with the 11th overall selection, were believed to be zeroing in on some of the best defensive ends in the draft pool, such as South Florida's Jason Pierre-Paul, Georgia Tech's Derrick Morgan and Florida's Carlos Dunlap, to place opposite under achieving former first-round pick and second-year pro Derrick Harvey.

And they still might.

But with the addition of Kampman, who has 54 career sacks, including at least 9 1/2 in three of the last four seasons, the Jags may instead look to fortify other areas -- and thus push one of those marquee ends down the draft board. Jacksonville's first-round wish list could now focus on its interminable search for a star wide receiver, a quarterback to groom behind David Garrard or a running back to spell Maurice Jones-Drew.

Assuming the 6-foot-4, 260-pound Kampman rehabs successfully from the knee injury suffered in Week 12 at San Francisco, he'll immediately step into the same left end spot where he started 93 of 94 games (including four playoff games) and led the NFC in sacks in 2006 with 15 1/2.

Upon the arrival of new defensive coordinator Dom Capers in Green Bay last offseason, Kampman was moved to outside linebacker in the 3-4 scheme and never appeared comfortable there. His sacks production decreased to 3 1/2 before the injury ended his season.

Still, Kampman's 40 1/2 sacks from 2006-09 rank as the fifth-best in the NFL during that time.