The Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night shored up the most glaring hole in their secondary, with ESPN.com learning the team signed free agent strong safety Blaine Bishop, a four-time Pro Bowl performer.

Philadelphia officials targeted Bishop early in the free agency period, and he will fit nicely into the team's veteran secondary, replacing Damon Moore. The Eagles did not tender Moore a restricted free agent qualifying offer last month after he suffered a severe knee injury in the NFC championship game.

The Eagles were convinced that Moore, an emerging force at strong safety, would not be able to return for any of the 2002 season. By not making him a qualifying offer, Moore became a free agent and eligible to sign with any other team.

Bishop, 31, will sign a three-year, $6.5 million contract. The contract includes a signing bonus of $1 million.

The nine-year veteran was released by the Tennessee Titans at the start of the free agency period as the team struggled to squeeze under the salary cap. Bishop had declined to restructure his deal with the Titans. He had visited this week with the Buffalo Bills and conventional wisdom was that he would sign there, since coach Gregg Williams was his defensive coordinator for several years with the Titans.

But the Eagles made a strong effort to recruit Bishop, convinced him the team is on the cusp of a Super Bowl appearance, and suggested he could be a key piece of the defensive puzzle.

Known as one of the NFL's biggest hitters despite his lack of physical stature (5-foot-9 and 203 pounds), Bishop suffered through an injury-plagued 2001 campaign. Foot and hand injuries kept him to just five appearances and four starts and he had only 26 tackles.

Before last season, the former Ball State star was a model of consistency and durability. Bishop has played in 126 games and started 108 of them. He has 696 tackles, 13½ sacks, nine forced fumbles, eight recoveries, five interceptions and 46 passes defensed.

With the Eagles, he will join a secondary that includes three standout starters -- cornerbacks Troy Vincent and Bobby Taylor and free safety Brian Dawkins -- and will be a welcome addition for ever-creative coordinator Jim Johnson.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior writer for ESPN.com.