PITTSBURGH, April 5 (UPI) -- After electing not to re-sign starting inside linebacker Earl Holmes, the Pittsburgh Steelers Friday reached a contract agreement with free agent James Farrior.
Terms were not disclosed for Farrior, who spent his first five seasons with the New York Jets.
Earlier Friday, Holmes, the starter for the last six seasons, signed with the Cleveland Browns.
A 1997 first-round pick out of Virginia, Farrior always has been an outside linebacker, used primarily on the weak side. With the Steelers, he will move to the inside spot formerly owned by Holmes in the club's 3-4 defensive scheme.
Farrior, 27, is coming off his most productive season, in which he collected a career-high 143 tackles while starting all 16 games for the first time in his career. He added one sack and two interceptions.
In 76 career games, Farrior has 479 tackles, 5 1/2 sacks and three interceptions.
