In search of a veteran for the back end of the secondary, the Detroit Lions have agreed to terms with free-agent safety Sean Jones on a one-year contract, reports Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com.
Originally selected in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft out of Georgia by the Cleveland Browns, Jones has started 85 of 107 games and totaled 513 tackles, four sacks and 17 interceptions during his eight-year NFL career, which included one season (2009) with the Philadelphia Eagles and the last two with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Over the last two seasons, Jones, who turned 30 in March, has started 32 games and has 166 tackles, two sacks and an interception while playing between 90 to 95 percent of the team's defensive snaps. The Buccaneers did not attempt to re-sign Jones and used the seventh overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft on strong safety Mark Barron.
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Jones has primarily played strong safety during his career and will compete with Amari Spievey and Erik Coleman for the starting job opposite Louis Delmas in a shaky Lions secondary. According to Twentyman, Jones is one of several veteran safeties to visit the team this offseason, with Chris Crocker and Oshiomogho Atogwe being two other free-agent visitors. Crocker remains available, and Atogwe signed with the Philadelphia Eagles last week.
The Lions have not announced the transaction, which will require a corresponding move as the roster currently is at the 90-man limit.
UPDATE: The Lions made a corresponding move Monday, releasing safety Sam Proctor. The team had signed Proctor in May as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma.