WEDNESDAY, 5:23pm: It’s a one-year, $1.4MM deal with $100K fully guaranteed, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Caplan (on Twitter).
FRIDAY, 12:46pm: It’s a one-year deal for Nicks, according to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
12:04pm: Teams with interest in free agent wide receiver Hakeem Nicks have been informed that he’ll be signing with the Titans, reports Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports (Twitter link). Nicks had visited Tennessee to meet with the Titans earlier this month.
Nicks, 27, first reached unrestricted free agency in March 2014, and signed a modest one-year contract with the Colts after spending the first five seasons of his NFL career with the Giants. While fellow 2009 first-round wideout Jeremy Maclin parlayed a one-year, prove-it deal in 2014 into a huge, long-term contract, Nicks was unable to do the same in Indianapolis.
After receiving 100 or more targets in each of his previous four seasons in New York, Nicks saw a career-low 68 passes thrown his way in 2014, as Andrew Luck and the Colts relied more on T.Y. Hilton, Reggie Wayne, and Coby Fleener in the passing game. Nicks finished the season with 405 yards and three touchdowns on 38 receptions, and visited the 49ers before catching on with the Titans.
While Nicks has a pair of 1,000-yard seasons under his belt, his mediocre recent production suggests that his signing shouldn’t affect the Titans’ draft plans significantly. There has been some recent speculation that the Titans could draft a wideout in the first round, particularly if the team trades down. A roster lacking star power could particularly benefit from selecting a player like Amari Cooper or Kevin White.
Still, having added Nicks and Harry Douglas to go along with presumed starting receivers Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter, Tennessee probably has other positions more in need of fortification.