Updating a previous report, Pittsburgh Steelers unrestricted free agent defensive lineman Al Woods has indeed signed with the Tennessee Titans after visiting with them on Wednesday, according to Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Woods will now play for new Titans defensive coordinator Ray Horton, who was the Steelers defensive backs coach several years ago prior to becoming the Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator following the 2010 season.
The loss of Woods now puts the Steelers in a precarious position as far as their defensive line goes as the team currently only has two players on the line in defensive end Cameron Heyward and nose tackle Steve McLendon under contract that have a extensive playing time experience.
The Steelers might be forced to re-sign veteran free agent defensive end Brett Keisel should they also lose defensive end and former first-round raft pick Ziggy Hood to another team during the offseason.
The interest that Woods received during the early portion of free agency is a little bit shocking and now the Steelers have lost of player they invested two plus years into after claiming him off waivers from the Seattle Seahawks late in the 2011 season.
Woods was originally drafted by the New Orleans Saints out of LSU in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He had spent time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Seahawks prior to arriving in Pittsburgh a second time as the Steelers originally had signed him to their practice squad following his 2010 release by the Saints.
According to Jim Wyatt of The Tennessean, Woods signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Titans.
