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.