JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars made a move to address pass-rushing depth on Wednesday.
They did it by adding a veteran with a first-round pedigree.
Bjöern Werner, a defensive end who played his first three NFL seasons with the Indianapolis Colts before being released March 8, has signed with the Jaguars. The team announced the move late Wednesday afternoon.
Werner (6-feet-3, 255 pounds), the No. 24 overall selection by the Colts in the 2013 NFL Draft, registered 6.5 sacks while playing 38 games in three seasons with the Colts. He started 16 games, and did not start a game in 2015 after starting 15 in 2014.
Werner registered a career-high four sacks in 2014 after 2.5 as a rookie.
Werner played collegiately at Florida State University, where he was the 2012 Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He also was an All-ACC first-team selection in 2012.
Dante Fowler Jr., the No. 3 overall selection in the 2015 NFL Draft, is expected to start at the Jaguars' Leo pass-rushing end position next season. That's the position where Werner likely will compete.
The Jaguars selected pass-rushing end Yannick Ngakoue from Maryland in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft and selected linebacker /defensive end Tyrone Holmes from Montana in the sixth round. Chris Smith and Ryan Davis also have NFL experience at the Leo position.
Also on Wednesday, the Jaguars released cornerback Chance Casey.
