JACKSONVILLE – The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed OL Fred Johnson, the team announced.
Johnson originally signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers following the 2019 NFL Draft and was later acquired by the Cincinnati Bengals. Across three seasons with the Bengals (2019-21), Johnson appeared in 23 games (eight starts). He joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to begin the 2022 season, eventually signing to the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad (2022). In 2023, Johnson saw action in all 17 regular season games and one playoff appearance as part of Philadelphia’s active roster. In 2024, Johnson participated in all 17 regular season games (six starts) with the Eagles, as well as the team’s four postseason contests which culminated in a Super Bowl LIV title. Johnson was part of an offensive line unit that helped the Eagles rush for 3,048 yards in 2024, which set a single-season franchise record and ranked sixth in a season in NFL history.
The Royal Palm Beach, Fla., native played collegiately at Florida for four seasons (2015-18), where he saw action in 44 games (31 starts). In his senior season in 2018, Florida’s offensive line allowed 18.0 sacks, ranking third in the SEC and 20th in the nation. He was also named to the 2018 SEC Football Community Service team and the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List for his work in the community.
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LIONS SIGN UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT CB ROCK YA-SIN
Allen Park, Mich. – The Detroit Lions announced today that they have signed unrestricted free agent CB Rock Ya-Sin. Contract terms were not disclosed.
Ya-Sin enters his seventh NFL season after most recently spending the 2024 season with the San Francisco 49ers. Before San Francisco, he completed stints with the Baltimore Ravens (2023), Las Vegas Raiders (2022) and Indianapolis Colts (2019-21).
In 79-career games (40 starts), Ya-Sin has recorded 195 tackles (162 solo), 31 pass defenses, two interceptions, two tackles for loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a quarterback hit while adding four special teams tackles. He was originally selected by the Colts in the second round (34th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft out of Temple.
LIONS SIGN UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT CB AVONTE MADDOX
Allen Park, Mich. – The Detroit Lions announced today that they have signed unrestricted free agent CB Avonte Maddox. Contract terms were not disclosed.
Maddox joins the Lions after spending the first seven seasons (2018-24) of his career with the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2024, he appeared in all 17 games (three starts) and tallied 19 tackles (eight solo) and five pass defenses. Maddox appeared in all four postseason games for the Eagles in 2024, highlighted by a pass defense in Super Bowl LIX.
In 81-career games (41 starts), Maddox has recorded 264 tackles (194 solo), 36 pass defenses, 13 tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles, eight quarterback hits, four interceptions and one fumble recovery. He has played in 11 postseason contests (six starts) and posted 40 tackles (30 solo), five pass defenses and two tackles for loss.
He originally entered the NFL with Philadelphia as a fourth-round draft selection (125th overall) in the 2018 NFL Draft out of Pittsburgh.
Dolphins sign Gay Jr.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins announced today that they have signed linebacker Willie Gay Jr. as an unrestricted free agent.
Gay Jr. is a two-time Super Bowl champion (LVII, LVIII), who is entering his sixth NFL season after spending time with Kansas City (2020-23) and New Orleans (2024). He has appeared in 72 career games with 55 starts, totaling 253 tackles (164 solo), 7.0 sacks, four interceptions with one returned for a touchdown, 22 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and six fumble recoveries. Gay Jr. has also started in nine postseason games. He entered the league as a second-round selection (63rd overall) by Kansas City in the 2020 NFL Draft. He played collegiately at Mississippi State (2017-19), where he appeared in 31 games with six starts and recorded 99 tackles (46 solo), 6.0 sacks, three interceptions, seven passes defensed, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
| Name | Pos. | Hgt. | Wgt. | Age | Exp. | College | Hometown | Acq. |
| Willie Gay Jr. | LB | 6-1 | 243 | 27 | 6 | Mississippi State ‘20 | Starkville, Miss. | UFA, ‘25 |
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Dolphins re-sign Jones
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Miami Dolphins announced today that they have re-signed defensive tackle Benito Jones.
Jones has played in 57 career games with 30 starts in four seasons with Miami (2020, 2024) and Detroit (2022-23), recording 68 tackles (31 solo), 2.5 sacks and two passes defensed. He has also played in three playoff games, recording one solo stop. He returned to Miami as a free agent on March 18, 2024, and appeared in all 17 games with 15 starts last season, totaling 24 tackles (nine solo). Jones played in six games with the Dolphins in 2020 and spent the 2021 season on Miami’s practice squad. Jones originally entered the NFL as an undrafted college free agent with Miami in 2020. He played collegiately at Mississippi (2016-19), where he played in 48 games with 36 starts and recorded 132 tackles (66 solo), 10.5 sacks, one interception, one pass defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
| Name | Pos. | Hgt. | Wgt. | Age | Exp. | College | Hometown | Acq. |
| Benito Jones | DT | 6-1 | 335 | 27 | 5 | Mississippi ’20 | Waynesboro, Miss. | FA, ‘24 |
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