Outside linebacker Brian Orakpo signed a contract with the Tennessee Titans on Friday afternoon, ending his six-year stay with the Washington Redskins.
According to multiple reports, Orakpo signed a four-year, $32 million contract with the Titans. The contract guaranteed Orakpo $13.5 million — just slightly more than the $11.455 million he earned last season playing under the Redskins’ franchise designation. He received a $5 million signing bonus and has others included in the contract that will reward him for playing time and Pro Bowl appearances.
“Outside linebacker was a position that we needed to address heading into the offseason,” Titans general manager Ruston Webster said in a statement released by the team. “Brian has a proven record and adds a different dimension to our group.”
The 28-year-old sought a long-term deal with the Redskins last offseason but was instead retained with the franchise tag and paid $11.455 million for 2014. He recorded only 24 tackles and half a sack over seven injury plagued games.
“What put it over the edge was these coaches,’’ Orakpo told The Tennessean. “The staff here is phenomenal. I couldn’t miss the opportunity to be coached by these guys. Coach [Dick] LeBeau, I have so much respect for him. It’s a further opportunity for me to better myself for a team that’s on the rise. It was a great fit. I feel like the vibe is there. Even though it was a 2-14 team last year, the chemistry and everything is still there. No one is feeling like this can’t be turned around fairly quickly.”
After battling a finger injury early in the year, Orakpo missed the second half of season with a partially torn right pectoral muscle, his third season-ending pectoral injury in the NFL. He has twice torn his left pectoral, most recently in 2012.
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Orakpo played parts of six seasons with the Redskins after being drafted by them with the 13th overall pick in 2009. He made the Pro Bowl three times in his tenure and showed a knack for stopping the run, but he was frequently navigating injuries and struggled to stay on the field.
With Orakpo’s departure, the Redskins could look to either add a pass-rusher in the draft or rely more heavily on Trent Murphy, who started in Orakpo’s absence as a rookie last year. The team has significantly upgraded its defensive front in recent weeks, signing free agent defensive ends Ricky Jean Francois and Stephen Paea, and, as of Friday afternoon, nose tackle Terrance Knighton and cornerback Chris Culliver.
Orakpo becomes the third unrestricted free agent to leave the Redskins in recent days. Running back Roy Helu signed a two-year contract with the Oakland Raiders and wide receiver Leonard Hankerson agreed to a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons.
• Zac Boyer can be reached at zboyer@washingtontimes.com.
• Tom Schad can be reached at tschad@washingtontimes.com.
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