Broncos sign DT J'Vonne Parker, bring back DL Kenny Peterson

The Denver Broncos on Tuesday re-signed unrestricted free-agent defensive lineman Kenny Peterson and signed free-agent defensive tackle J'Vonne Parker, it was announced. As per club policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Parker (6-foot-4, 325 pounds) is a fifth-year defensive tackle who joins the Broncos after seeing time on the rosters of Carolina (2008), Atlanta (2008), Baltimore (2007-08), Dallas (2006) and Cleveland (2005-06). He entered the NFL with the Browns in 2005 as a college free agent from Rutgers University.

Parker has appeared in 11 career regular-season games (0 starts), totaling six tackles (4 solo) and one fumble recovery.

In 2008, Parker saw his only game action in the Panthers' regular-season finale at New Orleans on Dec. 28. He began the year on Baltimore's practice squad and competed on Atlanta's practice squad before he was signed to Carolina's active roster on Dec. 23.

The defensive tackle appeared in a career-high six games during the 2006 season, seeing time in four games with the Browns after playing two games with the Cowboys. Parker finished that year with a personal-best five tackles (3 solo).

As a rookie with Cleveland in 2005, Parker began the season on the club's practice squad before appearing in its final four games.

Parker finished his collegiate career at Rutgers after playing two seasons at Howard University. He saw time in 11 games as a senior for the Scarlet Knights.

A third-team All-Essex County selection at Newark Tech High School in Newark, N.J., Parker was born on June 7, 1982.

Peterson (6-foot-3, 300 pounds) is a seventh-year defensive lineman who played for the Broncos during the last three seasons after they signed him as a free agent on Oct. 11, 2006. He spent his first three NFL seasons with Green Bay, which selected him in the third round (94th overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft from Ohio State University.

In 60 career regular-season games (1 start), Peterson has totaled 108 tackles (68 solo), seven sacks (36 yds.), seven pass breakups, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He has appeared in two playoff games (0 starts) for his career, registering four tackles and one sack (2 yds.) in those contests.

Last season, Peterson saw time in all 16 games (1 start) for Denver and recorded a career-high 39 tackles (23 solo) while tying his personal best with three sacks (14 yds.), which ranked third on the Broncos. The defensive lineman also added one pass breakup and one forced fumble for Denver in 2008.

Peterson had 30 tackles (17 solo), three sacks (14 yds.), three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery with the Packers in 2005, his final season with that club.

A second-team All-Big Ten Conference selection in 2002 as a member of Ohio State's national championship team, Peterson played 45 career games (15 starts) for the Buckeyes. He had five tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble in the Buckeyes' Fiesta Bowl win over Miami that clinched the national title during the 2002 season.

Peterson, who received consensus All-America honors at McKinley High School in Canton, Ohio, was born on Nov. 21, 1978.