JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars' secondary got a little deeper Tuesday.
Perhaps as significantly, it got more experienced, too.
Marcus Trufant, an 11-year veteran cornerback who spent past 10 seasons with the Seattle Seahawks, on Tuesday afternoon joined the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent, becoming the most senior member of a cornerback unit that has become significantly younger this offseason.
Trufant (5-feet-11, 187 pounds), who played collegiately at Washington State, could bring a veteran presence to a Jaguars' secondary that is in significant transition this offseason. He played for Head Coach Gus Bradley the past four seasons, which Bradley spent as the Seahawks' defensive coordinator.
"It definitely feels like a fit," Trufant said Tuesday afternoon.
Trufant, the No. 11 overall selection by Seattle in the 2003 NFL Draft, has started 125 of 136 games in 10 seasons, and missed just nine possible starts from 2003-2010. He then started the first four games in 2011 before missing 11 games with a back injury.
He returned last season to play in 12 games, primarily as the Seahawks' nickel corner.
Trufant, 32, played in the Pro Bowl following the 2007 season, and has 658 tackles with 21 interceptions and 115 passes defensed. He also has five forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and two sacks.
He started the first 94 games of his career, and had two passes defensed last season.
The Jaguars this offseason not only allowed cornerback Derek Cox to sign with the San Diego Chargers as a free agent, they opted not to re-sign veteran cornerback Rashean Mathis and released cornerback Aaron Ross. All three started games and played significant time last season.
The team also released safety Dawan Landry, a starter the past two seasons.
The Jaguars addressed secondary heavily on draft weekend, selecting three cornerbacks – Dwayne Gratz from Connecticut, Jeremy Harris from New Mexico State and Demetrius McCray from Appalachian State. They also selected safety Johnathan Cyprien from Florida International in the second round and safety Josh Evans from Florida in the sixth.
The Jaguars earlier in the offseason had signed veteran cornerback Alan Ball and re-signed veteran Antwaun Molden, in addition to adding Chris Banjo as a free agent. They released Molden Tuesday.
The Jaguars currently have nine corners on the 90-man roster – Gratz, Ball, Trufant, Harris, McCray, second-year veteran Mike Harris, third-year veteran Kevin Rutland and rookie free agents Marcus Burley and Trey Wilson.
They have seven safeties on the roster – veteran and projected starter Dwight Lowery, Cyprien, Evans, third-year veteran Chris Prosinski, Banjo, second-year veteran Antwon Blake and rookie free agent Steven Terrell.
Trufant became the seventh unrestricted free agent from another team signed by the Jaguars this offseason. The team also signed defensive tackles Roy Miller and Sen'Derrick Marks, Ball, linebacker Geno Hayes, wide receiver Mohamed Massaquoi and running back Justin Forsett.
