A former Falcons starting linebacker, Joplo Bartu signed with the Jaguars after working out for the team earlier today, Michael DiRocco of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).
Bartu will fill Bernard Pierce‘s roster spot, with the fourth-year running back heading to season-ending injured reserve with a calf injury.
Signed due to uncertainty surrounding Paul Posluszny‘s hand injury (per the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson, on Twitter), Bartu could see defensive snaps soon. Dan Skuta‘s missed three straight games, and the Jags started rookie UDFA Thurston Armbrister against the Titans.
The Falcons cut the 25-year-old Bartu, who started 28 games in Atlanta despite arriving as an undrafted free agent, in November to make room for kicker Shayne Graham.
A third-year outside linebacker out of Division I-FCS Texas State, Bartu’s made 178 career tackles and 4.5 sacks in 28 career games.
Pierce only received six carries, gaining 11 yards, this season.
Ray Rice‘s former backup with the Ravens played in seven games this season, serving almost exclusively as a special teams cog. He rushed for a career-high 532 yards, averaging 4.9 per carry, as a rookie for the 2012 Super Bowl champions but hasn’t averaged more than four yards per tote since.