After losing players such as Albert Haynesworth, Brandon Jones and Eric King in the first few days of free agency, Mike Reinfeldt and the Tennessee Titans finally went on the offensive.
Two positions of need (WR and DT) were addressed with today’s signings of Nate Washington and Jovan Haye. Washington, an athletic receiver with good upside, cashed in with a 6-year deal worth $27 million ($9 million guaranteed). Haye, who will attempt to fill the giant void left by Big Al, put his John Hancock on a 4-year contract worth about $16 million.
Here are my initial thoughts on the two newest members of the Tennessee Titans.
Nate Washington
Washington is a player that been’s mentioned a time or two on this site as of late. Blessed with good speed and great leaping ability, Nate will provide the Titans with a dimension that’s been missing from the receiving corp for quite some time. Not only can he blaze past opposing defenders, he also has the hops to out-jump corners while making acrobatic catches.
Although I love his upside, I’m still a little leery about a guy who has failed to come close to reaching the 1,000 yard mark during his young NFL career. Of course, Pittsburgh’s ball control offense and the presence of Hines Ward and Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes may have had something to do with Nate’s lack of production thus far.
With that said, I’m excited about the signing and cautiously optimistic that Nate can realize his vast potential in Nashville by becoming the team’s deep threat at WR for years to come.
Jovan Haye
Despite his relatively small stature (6’2″ 285 lbs), Haye is an adequate pass rusher who should fit in nicely on the Titans’ defensive line. His production dipped last year but in 2007, Haye was often a nemesis to opposing quarterbacks as evidenced by his six sacks that season.
He’s no Albert Haynesworth, but I expect Haye to become a solid part of the Titans’ d-tackle rotation in 2009.
What are your thoughts on the signings of Washington and Haye?
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