2012 NFL Free Agents: Tennessee Titans Land Kamerion Wimbley

Before Tennessee Titans owner Bud Adams fell head over heels for Peyton Manning—essentially throwing all offseason plans out the door—GM Ruston Webster had his eye on then-free-agent defensive end Mario Williams. 

Now that ESPN's Adam Schefter is reporting that Manning is finalizing a contract in Denver and Williams has already become the first $100 million defensive player in league history, the Titans have quickly switched gears on both fronts.

On Tuesday morning, Tennessee agreed to terms on a five-year, $35 million deal with recently released defensive end Kamerion Wimbley. Adam Caplan of The Sideline View reports that the deal also includes $13.1 million guaranteed.   

Wimbley was cut by the Oakland Raiders last week and quickly became the top pass-rusher available on the open market. The Titans brought him to Nashville for a visit Monday with an obvious aim of keeping him there until they could make a deal.

Given the fact that the Titans had just 28 sacks last season, there was a pressing need for a pass-rusher. 

Traded to the Raiders in 2009, Wimbley was mostly a rush linebacker in Oakland's 3-4 front over the last two seasons. The Titans will ask him to put his hand in the dirt as a 4-3 defensive end.

The pressure numbers have been good for the 28-year-old over the last two seasons.

Wimbley tallied 16 sacks, including a nine-sack season in 2010, over the last two years.

In Tennessee, he'll team with second-year defensive tackle Karl Klug to give what the Titans brass is hoping is an improved pass rush for 2012 and beyond. It should be interesting to see how Wimbley adjusts to the position change, but Tennessee should be better prepared to improve on its 31st-ranked sack total next season with Wimbley on board.