The Jacksonville Jaguars signed 10th-year defensive end Reggie Hayward to a contract today, the club announced. Hayward was an unrestricted free agent following his fifth season with the Jaguars. Length and terms of the contract are undisclosed.

Hayward, 6-5, 275, has played in 92 games with 59 starts since entering the league as a third-round draft pick of Denver in 2001. He joined the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent in 2005 and has played in 45 games with 40 starts for the club. He has registered 39.5 career sacks including 17.5 with the Jaguars, and added eight forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries.

A native of Chicago, Hayward started the 2009 season at defensive end for the Jaguars but broke his left leg near the end of the opener at Indianapolis and spent the remainder of the season on injured reserve. He played in all 16 games in 2008 and led the club with 4.5 sacks and ranked second with 22 quarterback pressures. From 2004-05, Hayward ranked among the NFL's best with 19.5 sacks including a career-high 10.5 with the Broncos in 2004.

With Hayward's signing the Jaguars have 66 players on the current roster. The players officially begin their offseason conditioning program on Monday, April 5 at Jacksonville Municipal Stadium under the direction of second-year strength and conditioning coach Luke Richesson.