Raiders add Darius

**hagansp** · 07-10-2007, 05:15 PM

Nine-year veteran strong safety Donovin Darius, released by the Jacksonville Jaguars last month, signed with the Oakland Raiders on Tuesday, the first team with whom he visited as a free agent and a club that pursued him ardently.
Contract details were not immediately available. "He will bring us immediate competition in the secondary," first-year coach Lane Kiffin said in a statement released by the team. "Donovin exemplifies hard work and dedication to the game. ... He will be a great fit in our team's philosophy." The leading tackler in Jaguars history, Darius is recovering from a broken right ankle that limited him to 10 games in 2006 but should be ready for the start of training camp. He also visited with the Buffalo Bills and several other teams indicated interest as well, but Darius was intrigued by the Raiders from the start. Oakland has two young starting safeties in Michael Huff and Stuart Schweigert, second- and fourth-year veterans, respectively. The Raiders do not delineate strong and free safeties in their system, but the skills set of Huff, the team's first-round choice in 2006, is more closely associated with those of a strong safety. That might conflict a bit with Darius, who has played strong safety his entire career, but the Raiders will compensate now that they have acquired him.

ESPN - Former Jags safety Darius signs with Raiders - NFL