SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- The San Francisco 49ers signed free-agent defensive lineman Demetric Evans and re-signed kick-return specialist Allen Rossum on Tuesday.
Both players agreed to terms last week, but they hadn't formally signed their deals.
Evans, who signed a two-year deal reportedly worth $3.8 million, spent the past five years with the Washington Redskins, starting 11 games last season and making a career-high 3.5 sacks. The veteran interior lineman has 147 tackles and 13 sacks during his seven-year NFL career, playing both at defensive tackle and defensive end.
Evans is expected to compete with Kentwan Balmer, last year's first-round draft pick, for the starting spot at left defensive end in the 49ers' 3-4 scheme. Ronald Fields, who played extensively on San Francisco's defensive line last season, signed with the Denver Broncos as a free agent.
Rossum played in 13 games last season, his first with the 49ers and his 11th in the NFL. He ranked third in the NFC with 26.8 yards per kickoff return, including a 104-yarder for a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals.
Rossum currently is second in NFL history with 14,751 total return yards in his career and second in kickoff-return yards with 11,779. Rossum also tops all active players with 2,972 career punt-return yards, although he returned just 15 punts for the 49ers.
Terms of Rossum's deal weren't disclosed.
Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press
