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Hope arrives for Titans
Tennessee signs former Steeler safety to 6-year deal
Posted: Wednesday March 15, 2006 6:13PM; Updated: Wednesday March 15, 2006 7:57PM
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- The Tennessee Titans agreed to a six-year contract with free-agent safety Chris Hope on Wednesday.
Hope started the last 32 regular-season games for Pittsburgh, including every game in the team's run to the Super Bowl. He had a career-high three interceptions last season.
"Pittsburgh was a great place," he said at a news conference. "I was limited to just play in the middle of the field, but I have the ability to play either safety."
Earlier this week he visited Miami, and planned to go to San Francisco to meet with the 49ers, but decided against it after meeting with Titans general manager Floyd Reese.
"I felt Tennessee was my new home," Hope said. "The Titans have been a very productive organization. In my rookie season, they beat us in the playoffs."
Hope was the fourth free agent signed by the Titans this week, joining linebacker David Thornton, wide receiver David Givens and center Kevin Mawae.
"Again, I think [he's] an example of what we've been looking for," Reese said.
Reese said earlier this week the team was pursuing Hope to add depth to the secondary, where the Titans started rookie cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones and free safety Lamont Thompson last year.
Hope has played a total of 62 games in four seasons and his career totals include 216 tackles, four interceptions, 17 passes defended and three forced fumbles. In eight career playoff games, he has six starts, 32 tackles and four passes defended.
Titans coach Jeff Fisher said Hope and Thornton should give much-needed speed to a defense that ranked 29th in the NFL in points allowed and 26th in yards allowed.
"We really feel like Chris's athletic ability is going to allow him to do whatever we need him to do ... cover the slot receiver of play around the line of scrimmage," he said.
"He was basically a line of scrimmage linebacker in their (Pittsburgh's) nickel-and-dime packages, so he has the instinct to do those kind of things. The thing that we look for in the position ... is the athletic ability, the opportunity to put your foot in the ground, make a play, go make a tackle, ball skills and those kinds of things. That's what Chris does."
The Steelers drafted Hope in the third round in 2002, and he played primarily on special teams in his first two seasons. He then earned the starting free safety spot.
Reese said the team will take a different approach to the draft thanks to the four free agent signings this week.
"We didn't want to have to go into the draft trying to hit 10 different spots. We had hand-selected a group of guys that we thought if we could get one or two, we'd be in great shape. We've ended up with four," Reese said.
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