The San Francisco 49ers announced that the team has signed guard Jonathan Cooper to a one-year deal.
"Having started 27 games in four NFL seasons, Jonathan brings great experience to the interior of our offensive line," said general manager John Lynch via a statement issued by the team. "We look forward to him competing for a starting job at guard, while also bringing a veteran presence to our locker room. Jonathan is a welcome addition to our team."
The Arizona Cardinals made Cooper (6-2, 308) the seventh-overall draft pick out of North Carolina in 2013. As Lynch mentioned, in four NFL seasons, Cooper started 27 of his 42 game appearances, which includes 13 starts at left guard for the Dallas Cowboys in 2017.
Copper sustained a knee injury in Dallas' final game of the season last year that required MCL surgery in January, according to a report by ESPN. He was expected to be ready to participate in an NFL team's offseason program, which begins in mid-April.
Cooper, 28, started a school-record 48 games during his four-year collegiate career with North Carolina. He was named First-Team All-ACC and First-Team All-American in 2012. Cooper was awarded the 2012 Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which goes to the best offensive lineman in the ACC.
The addition of Cooper follows the free agent signing of center Weston Richburg to a five-year deal. The interior of the offensive line was a weakness for the team in 2017. Last year's starting center, Daniel Kilgore, was traded to the Miami Dolphins following the addition of Richburg.
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