The Jacksonville Jaguars today signed third-year linebacker Joplo Bartu to the 53-man active roster and placed fourth-year running back Bernard Pierce on the team's reserve/injured list. With one opening on the practice squad due to Rashad Lawrence's elevation on Saturday, the club signed third-year linebacker Sean Porter to fill out the 10-man unit.
Bartu, 6-2, 230, originally signed as an undrafted rookie with Atlanta in 2013. Bartu, who has started 27 of 39 career games, has totaled 178 tackles (103 solo), 4.5 sacks and one pass defensed. Bartu's 3.5 sacks in 2013 were the most by an undrafted rookie free agent that season. Bartu attended Texas State and was an All-WAC second-team selection after posting 95 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks in 2012. He attended Waller (Tex.) High School and was a first-team All-District selection as a tight end and linebacker. Bartu was waived by the Falcons on November 26, 2015.
Porter, 6-1, 242, was originally a fourth-round draft selection (118th overall) by Cincinnati in 2013. After suffering a shoulder injury in training camp, he was placed on reserve/injured list for the remainder of his rookie season. In his second season in 2014, Porter appeared in one game before suffering a season-ending knee injury and was again placed on Cincinnati's reserve/injured list. Porter began this season on the Bengals' Physically Unable to Perform list and was waived on November 30. Porter played four seasons (2009-12) at Texas A&M and started 41 of 52 games and posted 261 career tackles, including 14.5 sacks and 34.5 tackles for loss. Porter, a native of Schertz, Tex., attended Clemens High School, where he was a two-time first-team all-district selection in Class 4.
Pierce, who sustained a calf injury during pregame warmups against Baltimore, has been inactive the last two weeks. Pierce was claimed off waivers (Baltimore) by Jacksonville on March 19 and rushed six times for 11 yards and caught one pass for four yards in seven games for the Jaguars this season.
