The Denver Broncos signed free-agent defensive tackle Justin Bannan on Wednesday, the team announced.
Bannan (6-foot-3, 312 pounds), who opened all 16 games for the Broncos in his only season with the club in 2010, is an 11th-year player who has seen action in 144 career regular-season games (57 starts) with Buffalo (2002-05), Baltimore (2006-09), Denver (2010) and St. Louis (2011). He has totaled 303 tackles (187 solo), 6.5 sacks (36.5 yds.), one interception (-4 yds.), 10 passes defensed, four forced fumbles and one fumble recovery during the regular-season. He also has recorded 12 tackles (10 solo) in five playoff games (3 starts).
He opened 14-of-15 games played for the Rams last year after starting a career-high 16 contests with the Broncos in 2010. During that campaign, he totaled 35 tackles (25 solo), one sack (8 yds.), four passes defensed and one forced fumble.
Originally selected by the Bills in the fifth round (139th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft from the University of Colorado, Bannan was a four-year starter for the Buffaloes after starring at Bella Vista High School in Fair Oaks, Calif. He was born on April 18, 1979.