Brian Orakpo Set To Become A Tennessee Titan?
By Les Bailey
Even though the Tennessee Titans website, titansonline.com hasn’t made any mention of former Washington Redskin linebacker, Brian Orakpo, sources say they are very interested in signing the first-round draft pick out of Texas.
The 28 year-old veteran was scheduled to move on to Arizona on Thursday afternoon, but according to Tennessean, Titans reporter, Jim Wyatt, was still in Nashville.
Live look-in: Brian Orakpo getting a sales pitch in Nashville with @geico caveman in #Titans shirt pic.twitter.com/vL5HnVgYfs
— Jim Wyatt (@jwyattsports) March 12, 2015
With the real possibility that the Titans do not re-sign, Derrick Morgan during the free agency, they will need to replace him, and Brian Orakpo, if healthy, is actually an upgrade.
The ideal situation, would be for Tennessee to have both players on the field. Although Morgan has successfully made the switch to Dick LeBeau’s 3-4 defense, Brian Orakpo has six season in the system, is a fierce pass rusher, and can set the edge in the running game.
The only problem with Orakpo, and the reason he is in an unrestricted free agent, is his injury problems. He has a history with his pectorial muscles being torn, but indicated on NFL_AM last week that he has discovered a problem with his warm-up routine, and thinks it will solve the issues.
Once again, when healthy, Brian Orakpo is a sack-machine, averaging almost 10 sacks a season, including 10 in 2013. Hall of fame GM, Bill Polian had this to say about him in an ESPN report:
"“He is a solid pass-rusher and a good edge-setter against the run in a 3-4 defense,” ESPN analyst Bill Polian, a Hall of Fame GM, said in his scouting report. “His injury history is a concern, however.”"
Kevin Patra at NFL.com has Orakpo listed at 19 in his list of 101 Top Free Agents, and ranks him as one of the top free agents still available.
"The 28-year-old earned 38.5 sacks in the four seasons he played at least 15 games and is a welcome addition to the Ray Horton/Dick LeBeau defense where he will continue to play an outside linebacker pressure role. When healthy, Orakpo can be one of the most disruptive outside rushers in the NFL."
Orakpo has started 71 games with the Redskins since being drafted in the first round, in 2009, and has amassed 40 sacks. He was franchised in 2014, and made just South of $11.4 million last year.
The Tennessee Titans brought in Safety, Michael Griffin, whose career in Texas overlapped Orakpo, for a little recruiting, and may have been the reason Orakpo did not move on to his meeting in Arizona.
Update:
News is out that the Tennessee has signed Brian Orakpo has been signed in Music City, details later today!
Next: Tennessee Titans Free Agency Recap Day Two