Cocoa High alums Jamel Dean, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, sign free agent deals with Bucs, Lions
Two Cocoa High alums — Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and Jamel Dean — have signed free agent deals following the expiration of their rookie contracts.
Dean will remain with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — the team that drafted him — for a reported four years and $52 million.
Dean’s deal includes $25.2 million in guarantees and a considerable $11.52 million bonus when Dean is on the roster of the fifth day of the league year. The contract is filled with multiple other bonuses, such as a per-game roster bonus.
Meanwhile, Gardner-Johnson will be joining the Detroit Lions after agreeing to a one-year, $8 million deal, his agent told NFL Network.
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Gardner-Johnson was the co-leader in the NFL with six interceptions last year, playing for the Philadelphia Eagles.
This comes a week after their other Cocoa High teammate — Jawaan Taylor — signed a four-year, $80 million contract with the Kansas City Chiefs.
All three players were drafted in 2019.
Gardner-Johnson and Taylor both played college football at the University of Florida, while Dean played at Auburn.
Dean, 26, a cornerback, was drafted in the third round of the 2019 draft with the 94th overall pick by the Buccaneers. He has seven career interceptions and one touchdown. He won a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers in 2020.
Gardner-Johnson, 25, was drafted in the fourth round in 2019 with the 105th pick by the New Orleans Saints. He played three years in New Orleans before being traded to the Eagles prior to the 2022 season. He played in a Super Bowl this past season, ultimately losing to the Kansas City Chiefs.
He has 11 career interceptions.
In Detroit, Gardner-Johnson will be reunited with Lions head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, who were on New Orleans’ staff in 2019-20.
The Lions ranked last in the NFL in total defense and tied for 28th in points allowed last season.
Taylor, 25, was drafted in the second round in 2019 with the 35th overall pick by the Jaguars. He played his first four season in Jacksonville, playing in all 66 regular season games and two playoff games.
He was part of the third-biggest comeback in playoff history this past season when the Jaguars trailed the Los Angeles Chargers 27-0 during the second quarter of their first-round playoff game. The Jaguars stormed back to defeat the Chargers 31-30, but lost the following week to the eventual champion Chiefs.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Jamel Dean re-signs with Bucs; Chauncey Gardner-Johnson inks with Lions
