Jason Babin, a free agent defensive end from the Philadelphia Eagles, arrived in Nashville Sunday and will be the team’s first free agent visitor of the off-season on Monday.
Babin, 29, recorded 2.5 sacks for the Philadelphia Eagles this past season and has also played for the Kansas City Chiefs and Seattle Seahawks after being a first-round pick of the Houston Texans in 2004.
"They've been interested in him all the way through the process," Babin's agent Tony Agnone said. "He can rush passer pretty well and they feel like he has some upside and has a real good future."
Coincidentally, Agnone also represents Kyle Vanden Bosch, who left the Titans for Detroit, thanks to a four-year, $26 million deal agreed to Friday morning.
The Jacksonville Jaguars had had some interest in Babin, but that interest might have waned somewhat after they signed Aaron Kampman on Sunday.
Ironically, the pick that the Texans used to select Babin out of Western Michigan, was one that came from the Titans. Tennessee traded Houston that choice, the 27th overall that year, and a fifth-round pick that year for three Texans draft choices in that draft.
Those picks were used to acquire defensive tackle Randy Starks, defensive end Bo Schobel and guard Jacob Bell.
The Titans lost Vanden Bosch [1]to the Lions after Jim Schwartz paid a visit to Vanden Bosch’s home at the outset of free agency. Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham is happy to have him in Detroit as a key component of that team’s rebuilding process.
“Kyle is still a good player and a difference maker,” Cunningham said of the 31-year-old defensive end. “You’d better be able to use help for your left tackle [against him].”
Thus far, Babin is the only player the Titans have scheduled for a free agent visit.
There had been a report of interest in journeyman defensive end Marques Douglas of the New York Jets, but according to a source, that does not appear to be the case.
Douglas visited the Titans when he was a free agent in 2008, but signed instead with the Baltimore Ravens.
Links:
[1] http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/sports/vanden-bosch-agrees-four-year-deal-lions