The Detroit Lions signed veteran safety Sean Jones to a one-year deal on Monday, via team’s release.
Jones, 30, left without a contract when he visited the team’s practice facility in Allen Park in early May.
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Selected in the second round (59th overall) in the 2004 NFL Draft out of the University of Georgia, the 6-1, 220-pound Jones spent his first five seasons with the Cleveland Browns.
After missing his rookie campaign due to a knee surgery suffered before the 2004 season, Jones made his debut in his second season, where he finished with 23 tackles and played mostly on special teams. The Atlanta, GA native took over the starting strong safety spot in his third season and racked up 263 tackles and 14 interceptions from 2006-2008 with the Browns.
Jones played one year in Philadelphia in 2009, where he replaced Brian Dawkins, before jumping ship to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as a free agent prior to the start of the 2010 season. Over the past two seasons, he has started every game and made 166 total tackles, 2.0 sacks, one interception and one forced fumble with the Buccaneers.
Jones will compete with incumbent starter Amari Spievey and veteran Erik Coleman for the starting spot opposite Louis Delmas.
Spievey, who has started at safety for most of the last two seasons, has played hot and cold, which prompted the team to take a look at acquiring veteran help this offseason. Chris Crocker and O.J. Otogwe—who is still available on the open market—were also both brought in for visits.
With 85 career starts and 107 game appearances over his eight seasons, Jones looks to give Spievey and Coleman a run for their money with more much-needed competition in the secondary heading into the highly-anticipated 2012 season.
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