Tennessee Titans Find Keith Bulluck's Replacement in Will Witherspoon

Outside linebacker? Check.

One of the Tennessee Titans three major needs was filled this week after the team reached an agreement with veteran linebacker Will Witherspoon. It is a three year deal worth $11 million.  

Witherspoon recorded 741 tackles over his nine year career. He was traded by St. Louis at the deadline to Philadelphia last season. The Eagles cut him to avoid paying him a roster bonus. 

Witherspoon may be one of the biggest steals in free agency this year.

Defensive players like Julius Peppers, Dunta Robinson, and Kyle Vandenbosch have been vastly overpaid this offseason. Don't get me wrong, they are all good players, but far too often, teams throw more money at a player than he deserves come free agency time.

Peppers will make over $15 million over the next six years. Robinson will make $9.5 million over the next six. Vandenbosch, despite a three and a half sack season, signed a deal worth $6.5 million dollars over four years.

Less than $4 million a year for a starting caliber outside linebacker is a pretty nice deal for Tennessee. That filled hole at outside linebacker pretty much means the Titans just received a mid-round draft pick as well. Instead of being forced to pick a linebacker in the third, they can draft for another need or even pick the best player available.

The Titans' starting linebacking corp should be set for the next couple of years.  Witherspoon will start at weak side linebacker across from David Thornton with Stephen Tulloch in the middle. With Thornton's contract running out next season, second year linebacker Gerald McRath will most likely be his replacement.

No one expects Witherspoon to fully makeup for the loss of Titans' legend Keith Bulluck, but he must emerge as a playmaker for the Titans' defense to improve in 2010.