JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars made a pre-free agency move official on Sunday.
And this move was about maintaining quality depth along one of the team's strongest areas.
Defensive end Tyson Alualu, a fifth-year veteran who never has missed a game in five NFL seasons, re-signed with the Jaguars Sunday, a move that came two days before the start of the 2015 NFL league year Tuesday afternoon at 4 p.m.
Alualu would have become an unrestricted free agent at that time, but finalized the terms of the contract and signed it Sunday morning. Reports were that the deal is for two years.
Alualu, the No. 10 overall selection in the 2010 NFL Draft by the Jaguars, started all 16 games in each of his first four seasons, spending the first three at defensive tackle, then moving to the five-technique defensive end spot in Jaguars Head Coach Gus Bradley's defense in 2013.
He played all 16 games there as a backup this past season, with the Jaguars having signed Red Bryant as a free agent from defending Super Bowl champion Seattle. Bryant started all 16 games at the position, playing 536 snaps and Alualu playing 471.
The Jaguars last offseason signed Bryant, end Chris Clemons and defensive tackle Ziggy Hood with the idea of adding veteran depth to the defensive line and reducing snaps for players such as Alualu and defensive tackles Sen'Derrick Marks and Roy Miller. Playing a balanced rotation, the group helped the defense dramatically improve its sacks total, finishing the season with 45 sacks after registering 31 the season before.
The signing was the Jaguars' second veteran re-signing in three days on the defensive front. On Friday, they re-signed exclusive rights free agent Ryan Davis, who had 6.5 sacks last season.
Alualu had two sacks last season playing the five-technique end position, a position with an emphasis on run defense rather than rushing the passer. The five-technique typically comes off the field in passing situations when the Jaguars typically play their three-Leon end lightning package of Davis, Clemons and Andre Branch of Chris Smith.
Jaguars General Manager David Caldwell had said several times following the season he hoped to re-sign Alualu, who said late in the season and following the season he hoped to return to the team that selected him No. 10 overall in the 2010 NFL Draft.
