Brian Orakpo to Titans: Latest Contract Details, Comments and Reaction

Linebacker Brian Orakpo has reportedly reached an agreement with the Tennessee Titans. He spent the previous six years with the Washington Redskins. The team announced the deal on Friday. 

ESPN's Adam Schefter first passed along word of the deal, while Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports confirmed the report.

Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports reported the details of the contract:

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The Redskins drafted Orakpo with the 13th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft out of Texas, and he proceeded to rack up 50 tackles and 11 sacks in a terrific rookie campaign. He tallied 17.5 more sacks over the next two years, but injuries have held him back.

Two of the past three seasons have been cut short due to pectoral problems. He played just two games in 2012, but he bounced back with 10 sacks in 2013 (15 games). Then, he made seven appearances last season, registering only a half-sack in those contests.

So the question heading into free agency was which player a team could expect: a game-changing defender or an injury-prone rusher with fading production.

Asked after the 2014 campaign what the future might hold, Orakpo didn't have an answer, telling reporters, "I love you guys, but I really don't feel like talking, I really don't. I'm kind of under the weather right now."

When pressed about whether he would be back with the Redskins, he didn't give a clear answer.

The Redskins used the franchise tag on Orakpo last year and didn't get much return on investment. Doing it again or signing him to a new long-term deal would have been a big risk.

Getting a fresh start may also be the ideal scenario for Orakpo. At 28, he still has an opportunity to go on a sack binge over the next few years. A clean slate allows him to focus on the future, not trying to atone for recent injury-plagued years.

There are two ways to look at the signing: On a positive note, he's never played at least 15 games without notching 8.5 or more sacks; however, his pace last year would have left him with just one for the entire season.

Chris Burke of Sports Illustrated noted how the signing will impact the Titans' draft strategy:

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First and foremost, it comes down to staying healthy. Missing significant time twice in three years is cause for concern. The same can be said for his play last season. Even when he was on the field, he didn't look like his usual explosive self.

It's a signing with some upside given Orakpo's previous peak years, but there's no guarantee he'll return to that level moving forward.