The Jacksonville Jaguars today restructed defensive end Tony Brackens' contract and re-signed cornerback Jason Craft. The Jaguars also signed defensive end Stalin Colinet and tight end Stevan Fontana, and claimed defensive tackle Matt Sweeney off waivers. Tight end James Hill was waived.
The Jaguars signed Brackens to a new contract with financial terms of the deal undisclosed. Brackens is the Jaguars' all-time sack leader with 48, including 11 last season and 12 in 1999. Brackens, 27, has started 55 of his 87 games and holds the team records for fumbles forced and fumbles recovered.
The Jaguars re-signed restricted free agent Craft by matching the tender offer of the New Orleans Saints. Craft, 26, has played in every game in his four-year career with the Jaguars, making 11 starts. The 5-10, 180-pound defensive back totaled 56 tackles (48 solo) and two interceptions last season and started the last eight games filling in for injured starters Aaron Beasley and Fernando Bryant. He was originally a fifth-round selection of the Jaguars in the 1999 draft.
Colinet, 6-6, 288 pounds, was signed by the Jaguars after being released by Minnesota on February 21. He had 14 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery in eight games for Cleveland and Minnesota last season. He was traded by the Browns to Minnesota on October 16, 2001 for a undisclosed draft pick. Colinet, 24, has played in 67 career games with 40 starts in his five seasons. He has 107 career tackles, 5.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. Colinet played at Boston College under Tom Coughlin. His last name is pronounced KAWL-i-nay.
Fontana, 6-5, 266 pounds, was signed today and allocated to the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe. He had been waived by Green Bay in training camp on August 14, 2001. He was originally signed by the Packers as an undrafted rookie free agent on July 18, 2001. He was selected in the eighth round of the 2001 NFL Europe League Free Agent Draft by the Scottish Claymores, where he caught five passes for 54 yards in 10 games. Fontana, 23, was a three-year letterman at Northern Arizona after transferring from the College of Marin in Kentfield, Calif.
Sweeney, 24, was claimed on waivers by the Jaguars from Tampa Bay. Originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent on January 3, 2001 with the Buccaneers, the 6-2, 275-pound Sweeney was a four-year starter at the University of Miami (FL). He amassed 150 career tackles and eight sacks as a Hurricane after reshirting his freshman season. He did not play football in 2000.
Hill, 27, had signed with the Jaguars on February 4, 2002 as a free agent. The Riverhead, N.Y. native attended Abilene Christian.
Today's moves bring the Jaguars' roster count to 60 players.
