Eagles sign defensive lineman
Mauricio Lopez, 27, a native of Mexico, played in NFL Europa.
The Eagles signed defensive tackle Mauricio Lopez, a 27-year old native of Mexico, the team announced yesterday.
The 6-foot-1, 329-pound Lopez played three seasons in the now-defunct NFL Europa. He played this past season with the Cologne Centurions. Lopez finished with nine tackles and one sack. In 2006, Lopez recorded three tackles for the Centurions. Lopez appeared in one game for Amsterdam in 2005.
Lopez played five years of college at Monterrey Tech, where he won the Borregos championship in 2000 and 2003. He also spent three years with the Mexican national team.
Lopez becomes the seventh defensive tackle on the Eagles' roster heading into training camp, which opens with rookies and selected veterans reporting on July 27. Only three of those seven defensive tackles were on the roster at the end of last season - Mike Patterson, Brodrick Bunkley and LaJuan Ramsey. Lopez is also the heaviest defensive lineman on the roster. The next highest is rookie free agent Jeremy Clark, who is listed at 309 pounds.
The number of defensive tackles could potentially swell to eight if Darwin Walker's rights return to the Eagles. The veteran, who was used by the Eagles to acquire linebacker Takeo Spikes and quarterback Kelly Holcomb, will return to the Eagles if he does not report to the Buffalo Bills by Aug. 5. The Eagles would have to give the Bills a sixth-round pick. Walker is seeking a new contract.