Colts Officially part with Freeney and Collie

[BrentMc11]

I bet the Pats kick his tires

I just puked in my mouth 77 times......

[Superman]

How much money does this add to our cap?

 

 

I believe they were both going to be free agents, so they would not add any money to the cap.

 

Correct.

[jskinnz]

 

He is ten time the player Collie ever could be?  

 

Neither move surprised me and they were both smart moves.  Freeney just did not fit the scheme anymore.  To me his contribution to this team is really undervalued because of his poor showing this season. I think the guy will got to a 4-3 next season and have a really ood season.  He may not have another great season, but he should still have enough in the tank to put up some good numbers.

 

Collie was a good WR for us when healthy, but the guy just could not stay healthy.  If it was not a concussion sidelining him it was a patella injury. Hopefully he can stay healthy for a few years and does not regret wanting to play when he retires.

Thanks there Captain Obvious. My point was not a statement on the quality of Collie vs. Manning as players. That very obviously does not need to be stated.

[southwest1]

Like the vast majority of people have already stated, not resigning both men is nothing earth shattering here. Freeney will find work in another city easy. Collie I wouldn't touch with a 20 ft. pole as a GM. Why? It's just like GoColts8818 said " Collie has a history of injuries that we know can happen at any time and no one is saying it won't happen again. In fact most think it will. Mannings neck injury and Collie concussion issues are at from the same thing." It's the frequent pattern of concussions in such close proximity to one another that would scare me off signing him even at a low ball cap friendly number. Austin has the experience, work ethic, & leadership to be a great addition to any NFL squad, but 1 more major concussion & he is done with football IMO. I like him, I respect him, & I want him to succeed, but I don't want his quality of life affected for the worse with a life changing hit either. 

 

There are a a lot of subpar NFL teams out there that would love to have Collie in their starting lineup: Browns, Buffalo, Jaguars, Kansas City,...It's balancing a steady paycheck vs longterm brain damage & only Collie can make that choice. But as a GM, I'd never pull the trigger & sign Collie to a contract. Way too risky.

[southwest1]

I bet the Pats kick his tires

Sure. I could see that too Lollygager. But Belichick also cut former Colts RB Joseph Addai & WR Anthony Gonzalez too. I can see that unfolding very soon as well. Besides, I don't see NE parting ways with Deion Branch, Brandon Lloyd, Julian Edelman, or Brady's security blanket Wes Welker anytime in the near future. They are pretty set at WR. Wes Welker will be on the Foxboro sidelines in Sept. not Austin Collie.

[Jay Kirk]

I own FIVE Colts jerseys, and only ONE of them is still playing.

Guess my Clark, Collie, Gonzalez and Manning jersey are being put away.

Look at them as history why put them away?

[Narcosys]

I guess I came off as insensitive. Collie was definitely a joy to watch, was great value to our team, and a great person. One if my favorite Indy receivers. My comment was directed in response to those that are freaking out that we are losing a great receiver we can't replace and or wont bd able to get someone of similar skill. That's what I meant. I hate to see him be another Anthony Gonzalez.

[Indyfan4life]

Look at them as history why put them away?

I'm considering having my Manning Jersey framed and put on display in my man-cave.

[dw49]

Sure. I could see that too Lollygager. But Belichick also cut former Colts RB Joseph Addai & WR Anthony Gonzalez too. I can see that unfolding very soon as well. Besides, I don't see NE parting ways with Deion Branch, Brandon Lloyd, Julian Edelman, or Brady's security blanket Wes Welker anytime in the near future. They are pretty set at WR. Wes Welker will be on the Foxboro sidelines in Sept. not Austin Collie.

 

 

They won't let Vollmer walk , that's 8 mill per year. It will cost 11 mill to franchise Welker. Plus they have some other decent plyers that are URFA's. Pretty hard to get fancy and restructure a 36 year old QB making around 18 mill. Good luck with 14-15 mill in cap room. So anyway... what kind of a long term deal do you think the pats and Welker agree to ?

[BrentMc11]

They won't let Vollmer walk , that's 8 mill per year. It will cost 11 mill to franchise Welker. Plus they have some other decent plyers that are URFA's. Pretty hard to get fancy and restructure a 36 year old QB making around 18 mill. Good luck with 14-15 mill in cap room. So anyway... what kind of a long term deal do you think the pats and Welker agree to ?

Just popping in...I think Welker may be their hit...you can only fit so many pennies in a pail....  They would have to backload or bonus the contract to make all of these URFA's fit....of course I may be wrong....

[AlaskaColtsFan]

Not surprised at all by either move and both of them are the right ones to make, IMO.  I will miss Dwight on the field, but will not miss his arrogance while signing autographs for fans at training camp.  Never have I seen anybody so smug.  Takes the item from people, turns his back most of the time to sign it and then just kind of hands it back in the direction that it came from.  Not real engaging with the fans, and it just really rubbed me the wrong way.  Best of luck to whatever team you go to, and I can honestly say that I won't miss you in August in Anderson.

 

 

I don't know about him being smug.  A buddy of mine was able to go to a practice when he was home on RnR from Iraq and Dwight took off his jersey and gave it to him.

[amfootball]

They won't let Vollmer walk , that's 8 mill per year. It will cost 11 mill to franchise Welker. Plus they have some other decent plyers that are URFA's. Pretty hard to get fancy and restructure a 36 year old QB making around 18 mill. Good luck with 14-15 mill in cap room. So anyway... what kind of a long term deal do you think the pats and Welker agree to ?

Vollmer just had knee surgery. We'll see where that heads. They will NOT franchise Welker again. It is 60/40 they get a deal done. Welker has said he wants to stay just depends on what he is willing to accept and what other teams will offer him at age 32. He knows he won't find a better fit than NE and Brady. It is not just Brady, they can also ask Wilfork and Mayo to restructure. Remember the don't have a lot of needs. The offense was #1 so it is not like they need a lot of help there with or without Welker. The only real need is a good corner. The secondary actually made huge strides last year and looked very good with Talib in there. We'll see what they do there. This draft is supposed to be good for DBs.

[MR. Blueblood]

I don't know about him being smug.  A buddy of mine was able to go to a practice when he was home on RnR from Iraq and Dwight took off his jersey and gave it to him.

 

That's cool, glad your friend got a pretty awesome gift from DF.  To me, when you take an item from somebody, then turn your back to them to sign it, then either hand it to your handler standing next to you to give it back or just kind of pass the item back in the general direction of where it came from originally and not directly to the person themselves, it rubs me the wrong way.  I've seen him do this over and over and over again, way more times than I ever have seen him be more than gracious with people and give them something.  He has a level of arrogance about him that other players like Mathis don't exude while interacting with the fans.  Once again, glad for your friend, just not so glad for the many many others that didn't get such great treatment from 93.

[Superman]

That's cool, glad your friend got a pretty awesome gift from DF. To me, when you take an item from somebody, then turn your back to them to sign it, then either hand it to your handler standing next to you to give it back or just kind of pass the item back in the general direction of where it came from originally and not directly to the person themselves, it rubs me the wrong way. I've seen him do this over and over and over again, way more times than I ever have seen him be more than gracious with people and give them something. He has a level of arrogance about him that other players like Mathis don't exude while interacting with the fans. Once again, glad for your friend, just not so glad for the many many others that didn't get such great treatment from 93.

I've always found Freeney to be kind of aloof. Your experience doesn't really surprise me. But there are probably just as many positive experiences from other fans.

[Fx Stryker]

I don't know if anyone mentioned it, but when Freeney said he wanted to stay a Colt it wasn't politics like some said.

 

Also others said he wouldn't take a low ball offer. Seems he would have.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000140695/article/dwight-freeney-i-expected-indianapolis-colts-offer

[Gavin]

I don't know if anyone mentioned it, but when Freeney said he wanted to stay a Colt it wasn't politics like some said.

 

Also others said he wouldn't take a low ball offer. Seems he would have.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000140695/article/dwight-freeney-i-expected-indianapolis-colts-offer

Maybe he would have...Maybe he wouldn't have thats all hearsay. But I dont recall him saying he would take less to remain a Colt up till now besides why would he want to resign for less on a team that changed to a scheme that did not maximize his capabilities if he could make more elsewhere on a 4-3 team that will, sure he could be a devastating pass rusher still I believe but its easy pickens to just run ran at him to negate that pass rush as we all know......I'll be clear, if he was lets say in the prime of his career around 28-30 I think he could learn the defense in plenty of time but he is 33

[Fx Stryker]

Maybe he would have...Maybe he wouldn't have thats all hearsay. But I dont recall him saying he would take less to remain a Colt up till now besides why would he want to resign for less on a team that changed to a scheme that did not maximize his capabilities if he could make more elsewhere on a 4-3 team that will, sure he could be a devastating pass rusher still I believe but its easy pickens to just run ran at him to negate that pass rush as we all know......I'll be clear, if he was lets say in the prime of his career around 28-30 I think he could learn the defense in plenty of time but he is 33

 

The situation didn't even go to that point where he could have talked about anything.

 

It was really we just don't want you anymore. I'm sure if actually talks/negotiations took place he would hold true to his word taking their first low ball. It never came to that point so that is why we never heard him say anything about it until now.

 

It's not that the Front Office made the wrong decision about Freeney. Whatever decision they make you have to live with.

 

He just isn't that money hungry guy some liked to suggest. Is all I was pointing out.

 

On a side note I was for him coming back. So him saying that makes it seem they didn't care for at all, but Grigson said he won't let emotion get in the way of the decisions. Somehow I think it's easy for him to say because the people he has let go are none of his players. So I'm curious to see how it goes when the time comes he has to let one of his big stars go.