Filling in the defensive line, the Green Bay Packers have signed veteran defensive end Chukie Nwokorie, a former Indianapolis Colt, as an unrestricted free agent, GM/Head Coach Mike Sherman announced Wednesday.

The 6-3, 284-pound Nwokorie (pronounced CHOO-kee wah-KOR-ee), has played in 22 games over his four-year NFL career, with five starts, making 72 tackles, 31 assists and 5 sacks. He made one tackle in three games in 2002, a season which saw him miss the clubs first eight games while on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.

His most significant action came in 2001 where he posted 71 tackles, 5 sacks and 23 quarterback hits in 16 games, starting five. A valuable contributor, he was second on the squad in QB hits and finished third in sacks that season.

The 27-year-old Purdue alumnus highlighted the 2001 season by clinching the season-opening win at New York Jets (Sept.9), with a 95-yard fumble return, the longest in club history, while adding four tackles. In his first career start, he had a season-high 8 tackles at Kansas City (Oct. 25) and had his first 10-tackle performance at New Orleans (Nov. 25) adding one sack.

Originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the Colts on April 26, 1999, Nwokorie played in three games over the 1999 and 2000 seasons mainly on special teams.

A four-year letterman as a collegian, Nwokorie ranked ninth for the Boilermakers career sack list with 8.5 and totaled 88 tackles including 55 tackles as a junior.

Nwokorie attended Jefferson High School in West Lafayette, Ind., where he played two seasons in football and also lettered in wrestling.