Titans re-sign QB Collins to $15 million deal

Kerry Collins' stay on the free agent market was a short one, as he and the Tennessee Titans agreed on a two-year, $15 million contract to keep him as the team's starting quarterback.

The deal also contains $8.5 million in guarantees, according to ESPN.com.Collins had originally sought around $10 million per season, but as the free agent market opened on Friday, he and the Titans came to terms on a compromise deal to assure his return to Nashville.

Negotiations appeared to pick up after the sides were far apart on Thursday and Tennessee began to ramp up negotiations with fellow free agent quarterback Chris Simms, who also still could return to Tennessee.

Collins, 36, replaced Vince Young as the starter after Young's meltdown/injury situation in the season opener and helped guide the Titans to a league-best 13-3 record and the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs.

"There was definitely interest that came in today from other places, but when things got going really well with the Titans, I forgot about those other things and just concentrated on being here and I am glad it worked out," Collins said in a statement.

After toiling for two years mostly as a backup, Collins completed 242 of 415 passes with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2008 for Tennessee. Collins played in the Pro Bowl after being selected as an alternate this season.

"Kerry did a great job for us last year stepping back into the starting role" said Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt. "He has veteran leadership, tons of game experience and we expect him to continue to play at a high level for us."

Collins had said shortly after ascending to the starting role that he could not see himself going back to a backup role anymore, and also said at season’s end that he would prefer retirement to being a second-string quarterback again.

"I am relieved to get it done," Collins said. "This is where I wanted to be and my family loves Nashville. It is just part of the process — free agency comes about and there are lots of talks and rumors. At the end of the day, this is where I want to be and I am happy it worked out."

Collins, whose professional career began in 1995, ranks 14th in NFL history and second among active players to Peyton Manning with 37,393 career passing yards. He ranks 11th all-time with 3,160 career completions.

The re-signing of Collins helped to soften the blow suffered early in the free agent period on Friday when the Titans lost defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth to a seven-year, $100 million deal to the Washington Redskins.

As for Simms, the Titans are still hopeful of retaining him, though other suitors might come into play. There was speculation that the Houston Texans might be in play, but they apparently have turned their attention to journeyman Patrick Ramsey as a primary backup to Matt Schaub. The Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys have also been linked to Simms as well.