Published: March 14, 2007 12:23 am         

Nick Harper leaves Colts for Titans

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Colts’ list of unrestricted free agents is beginning to get a little smaller.

Last week, it was running back Dominic Rhodes signing a free agent contract with the Oakland Raiders. On Tuesday, it was cornerback Nick Harper coming to terms on a three-year deal with the Tennessee Titans.

While financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, Harper’s arrival should give the Titans some added insurance in case troubled cornerback Pacman Jones is not available to play during the 2007 season. Jones is facing possible suspension by the NFL for a litany of off-field incidents over the past several months.

“We’ve done a great deal of study and [Harper] is very productive, aggressive, hardworking,” Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher told the Tennessean late last week. “[Harper has] intangibles, as a leader he has a lot of qualities that [former Indianapolis outside linebacker] David [Thornton] has …

“He’s very interested in doing a little bit more with his abilities than what they’ve done [with the Colts] despite the fact that they’ve done a terrific job,” Fisher added.

Harper missed the Colts’ AFC championship game win over New England with an ankle injury. He started in Super Bowl XLI against Chicago but was forced to the sidelines midway through the game after re-injuring the ankle. He started all 16 regular season games for Indianapolis, tying for the team lead with three interceptions, and was seventh on the team with 73 total tackles.

The former Fort Valley State standout came to the Colts as a free agent on January 16, 2001. Harper wound up starting 61 of 90 regular-season games and had 15 career interceptions.

Indianapolis has opted to go with a youth movement of sorts in its defensive backfield, especially since the team has loaded up on cornerbacks and safeties in the past several drafts.

Marlin Jackson, a first-round pick in 2005, is the obvious replacement for Harper at left cornerback. Indianapolis also has Kelvin Hayden (a second-round pick in 2005) and 2006 second-round selection Tim Jennings around to vie for playing time opposite Jason David. Hayden had a 56-yard game-clinching interception return for a touchdown in the Super Bowl win over the Bears.

Jackson has bounced between cornerback and safety since he joined the Colts. He started eight games at safety in 2006, seeing action at both free and strong safety, and was also used in Indianapolis’ nickel pass coverage scheme.