NFL Free Agency: Jason Babin Chooses Eagles
Former Titans one-year wonder at defensive end Jason Babin has now officially elected to play for the Philadelphia Eagles. I’ve been online most of the last two days and I never heard one thing about the Titans go after him. Will he be missed? Probably. Is it the really the worst thing that could have happened? Not in the least.
According to Jim Wyatt of The Tennesseean, Babin agreed to a 5-year deal worth $28 million. The guaranteed money should fall between $5-$6 million.
What a one year he had.
That’s the part that would’ve made me nervous about handing over that long and that large of a deal to Babin. In five years, he will be 36 years old. He only played great for one year, how does anyone know that he can replicate 12.5 sacks over the next 3 years-combined? The Eagles seem to really trust new defensive line coach Jim Washburns judgement on this.
Babin’s role will like be to start on the left end opposite star Trent Cole. Second year player Brandon Graham, out of Michigan, will presumably be the third end and rotate. Who’s to say that Babin gets the amount of snaps to justify the money? Graham came along nicely until he was injured and a healthy quite possibly could outplay Babin, if not this year, than next. Babin will either continue his streak of destroying offensive linemen or slowly wash up and pave the way for Graham to look good. I look for Babin to be cut after 3 seasons, or maybe he really did discover his football prowes and he plays as an All-Star the rest of his career.
This could be interesting to watch, but I don’t blame the Titans at all for skipping out on this one.
Per Wyatt:
"The Titans plan on playing a different style of defense under new defensive coordinator Jerry Gray, as the ends will primarily line up closer to the football in a 7-technque. Last season Babin lined up wider, and in more space, in a 9-technique.“I’m just not a fit for their system,” said Babin, who is heading into his eighth season. “I’d be a square peg in a round hole and we all know how that worked out for me in the past. You have to put some logic into it. I am not a 285-pound, 6-foot-6 defensive end. I am not going to be able to do some things. I didn’t fit there."