J. Freeman wants NEW CONTRACT, skips workouts

[TKnight24]

Report: Colts Linebacker Jerrell Freeman Skipping Offseason Workouts Over Desire for New Contract http://t.co/zmCldJ8gRR

— Josh Wilson (@JoshWilsonSB)

April 21, 2015

[NewColtsFan]

Good for him.

 

All he's got right now is a 2nd year tender,  which I don't believe he has signed yet.

 

So,  it's basically a 1-year deal for $2 Million and change....   (2.4?)

 

He wants a longer term deal....    this is his chance to make real money.    It only comes around once for most players.

 

He's not required to be here as this is not mandatory....  so, I expect that he works out on his own.   That's in his best interest if he wants a new deal.    

[backshoulderfade]

Good luck to him. He has no leverage At this point.

[RealityIsLuck]

If he comes back to form this year and actually plays decent I wouldn't mind paying him. It's crazy he wants a contract now, we should wait and see how he plays. If he plays good enough to be a good ILB2 I'd give him 4M per.

[#BringBobBack]

Good for Him but wow i really like Jerrell Freeman honestly he's my favorite player on the defense and i think he's played well enough that he deserves more money but could be a dangerous move. understandable considering while he hasn't been in the league long he's almost 30 and wants a decent payday before he's resigned to less money because of age. I really hope we reach an agreement with him and he's playing for this increasingly talented colts defense. I say pay the man Grigs he deserves it.

[#BringBobBack]

If he comes back to form this year and actually plays decent I wouldn't mind paying him. It's crazy he wants a contract now, we should wait and see how he plays. If he plays good enough to be a good ILB2 I'd give him 4M per.

i agree with you it's more than a fair number hopefully we can iron something out with him that works for both sides

[TKnight24]

Draft an ILB just in case this goes south

[Valpo2004]

I might throw him a bone with a small 2 or 3 year deal with a million or 2 in signing bonus.  But that's about it.

[NewColtsFan]

Draft an ILB just in case this goes south

 

Unfortunately,  it's a poor year for ILB....   there are four good ones,  probably 3 of which would go in the 2nd round..  maybe all four do....    and then the quality falls off pretty quickly.....   (Kendricks, Anthony, Perryman,  McKinny)

 

I suspect Freeman and his lawyer know this very well....

 

Added Note:    There's a 5th possible ILB who also could go in the 2nd Round...  Dawson from TCU.   But most of what I read says he's a better fit as a 4-3 OLB.

[IndyD4U]

He underwhelmed last year...A healthy  Nate Irving and a draft pick may change his attitude about the situation

[braveheartcolt]

"I'm not coming to these optional workouts". Way to make a statement Mr Freeman. I bet that has Grigson rushing to sign him.

[Gavin]

He will be 29 in 1 month....Were talking about a player who wants likely one more deal because he knows he is not some young player who has a couple deals left in front of him to negotiate, He wants some form of insurance that he will be around a while longer and probably finish his career as a Colt....I don't blame him a bit. When healthy he has been a playmaker, I've got no problem with it. I don't think the timing of it was good but that could not have been helped anyway given the fact he got hurt before he wanted a new deal. In the end I think he plays out the year, Gets his deal and this all is a non issue

[dw49]

I might throw him a bone with a small 2 or 3 year deal with a million or 2 in signing bonus.  But that's about it.

 

 

No way he would ever sign an extension for something between 2 and 3 mill per season with that tiny signing bonus to boot. His  tender is over 2 mill....

[krunk]

I could see this coming from a mile away.  Not sure how the colts will play this one.

It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't pay him what he wants.  It has gotten to the point

where we are already considering adding youth at the ILB spots and you have Nate Irving

as addtional leverage. My gut says they will draft somebody like Stephone Anthony or Eric

Kendricks as expected, while not entertaining Jerrell.  He'll probably eventually sign his 1 yr tender,

and the Colts will let him walk next year unless he gives them more to consider by being a beast

this year.

[IndyD4U]

I could see this coming from a mile away.  Not sure how the colts will play this one.

It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't pay him what he wants.  It has gotten to the point

where we are already considering adding youth at the ILB spots and you have Nate Irving

as addtional leverage. My gut says they will draft somebody like Stephone Anthony or Eric

Kendricks as expected, while not entertaining Jerrell.  He'll probably eventually sign his 1 yr tender,

and the Colts will let him walk next year unless he gives them more to consider by being a beast

this year.

 

I agree

[SDakColts]

He played well the season before last, but after this last season with his drop in production, and injuries I wouldn't want to tie myself up long term to him at an inflated rate. I personally feel if he would take the gamble on himself this season he could set himself up for a pay day like Jackson got. I like Grigson most of the time, but he sure likes to open the checkbook for linebackers on the wrong side of 30 that are slowly losing their production.

[Superman]

I could see this coming from a mile away.  Not sure how the colts will play this one.

It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't pay him what he wants.  It has gotten to the point

where we are already considering adding youth at the ILB spots and you have Nate Irving

as addtional leverage. My gut says they will draft somebody like Stephone Anthony or Eric

Kendricks as expected, while not entertaining Jerrell.  He'll probably eventually sign his 1 yr tender,

and the Colts will let him walk next year unless he gives them more to consider by being a beast

this year.

 

Yeah, me too. My question is whether the Colts offered him anything long term. The Irving signing suggests that they saw this coming, which suggests that they had some conversations with his agent. My idea was to offer him three years, $10m rather than tagging him, but he might not have accepted that. And who knows, maybe the Colts did offer him something. 

 

Either way, I'd rather have him than not, but at the right price. He's not close to being irreplaceable, and unless there's some other team itching to offer him a deal and give up a draft pick, he has no leverage. 

[krunk]

I think Jerrell will likely get the same treatment as Tony Dungy gave to Mike Peterson when he wanted a long term contract.Tony called Mike Peterson a "good" linebacker, but not a great one and then let him walk.  I do think Jerrell will probably playout this year on that tender, and the Colts will show him the door and go with the youth.  I like Jerrell, but I just feel the Colts are squeezing things that way. I could be wrong though.

[Boiler_Colt]

I hope someone else values him enough to take him off our hands for a second rounder and then we take Kendricks if available.

[NewEra]

I like Freeman but we can improve the position

[pgt_rob]

He's a great player, but who else is available besides from the draft? We have other needs on defense right now.

[ProblChld32]

I like Freeman, But with the signing of Irving it kinda makes him expendable. Not to mention last season wasn't his greatest. I would love to see him here in Indy . i think its his best interest to play out the remainder of his contract and sign his tender.

[Superman]

I hope someone else values him enough to take him off our hands for a second rounder and then we take Kendricks if available.

 

Keep dreaming, my friend. Keep dreaming.

[Boiler_Colt]

Keep dreaming, my friend. Keep dreaming.

I know, I know, a man can dream. Reality is so boring

[BrentMc11]

Yeah, me too. My question is whether the Colts offered him anything long term. The Irving signing suggests that they saw this coming, which suggests that they had some conversations with his agent. My idea was to offer him three years, $10m rather than tagging him, but he might not have accepted that. And who knows, maybe the Colts did offer him something. 

 

Either way, I'd rather have him than not, but at the right price. He's not close to being irreplaceable, and unless there's some other team itching to offer him a deal and give up a draft pick, he has no leverage. 

Only at the right price!!  

[colts8718]

Grigson trade him for Trent Richardson 

[ColtsLegacy]

I think the Colts are perfectly happy with Freeman for one more season and then replacing him with a better, younger player. He's extremely replaceable.

[HeSoColt]

Ride this year out with him and let him walk. He is easily replaceable.

[cbear]

He's overplayed his hand, especially after last year.  There is no reason the Colts need to do anything with him now, nor should they.  They know he will sign his tender.  They will see how he does this year and decide what to do afterward.  

[esmort]

Now might be the perfect time to get him to sign a low money team friendly contract ... He knows the Colts are potentially looking at his replacement in the draft, he's coming off a less than stellar season, after this year his age will devalue him to many teams, and if he gets a serious injury this season there's a good chance his career is done and he doesn't get another dollar.

 

That's the perfect storm for the Colts to throw a lowball "take it or leave it" contract on the table and lock him up on the cheap ... than if Kendricks, Anthony, etc ... fall into our lap we are suddenly looking pretty good at ILB.

[indyagent17]

Good for him so get a new team.

 

He is weak against the run and is out of position a lot.

 

We need a better ILB if we want to stop the run!

[Horse Shoe Heaven]

If I was him I would to. The guy deserves a new deal, within reason of coarse!

[dgambill]

Good but not great player playing a position that was weak for us last year. He has flashed several times in his short career here but not been consistant. No reason on our part to sign him long term but I completely understand his age and career status he needs to set himself up for life as his career is a short one due to his late entering into the NFL. I don't know anyone on the market that would be clammering to offer him much more money than his tender. He shouldn't risk working out etc...and we shouldn't sign him long term until we see consistancy on the field this year. Its a position we need to upgrade anyways...so we may not have any desire to keep him regardless. Play hard this year...be successful..be consistant...and I'm sure we would honor his request of contract that is more in line with a starting LB in this league.

[RomanianColtsFan]

I hope he gets as much money as he can whether it's from Colts or somene else. The man needs to seize his opportunities, just like anybody else in any other job.

[bestQBever]

he deserves 4 to 5 mil a year. One of the best players on our defense.

[BlueShoe]

He signed his deal. He knew what he was signing. He was not working in the NFL until we gave him a shot. We owe him nothing more than we agreed to pay him.

 

If he does not like it then trade him for a second round pick and pickup one of the many ILB's who will be available in the second round.

[krunk]

not sure if we can get a 2nd for him.

[BlueShoe]

not sure if we can get a 2nd for him.

 

You're probably right, especially in this draft. I can see this draft producing 5-6 very good inside linebackers from the second round. I think there will be a big run on them in the second. We might look up at some point and see that 5 of the last 15 picks are inside linebackers. Just a feeling it is going to go down like that. 

 

I also believe the need for teams to get an ILB will bump some players up, once the run starts. 

[RomanianColtsFan]

I'm always puzzled by how much fans worry about their favorite team's finances. As far as I'm concerned I don't care about how they manage their salaries, cap and other things. I am sure they can manage. As an individual in the work market I can relate more to players wanting money while they can still get them. Life in NFL is tough, usually short, and if they get injured of don't outperform other players they are thrown away like expired goods. I don't know, I may get more cynical as I'm getting older but I feel like there is a lot of hypocrisy in NFL world. It's a tough business, I don't necessarily blame them, but it goes both ways.

[SOMDColtsfan]

Bet he was happy when he signed his first deal, play the contract out. He`s a decent player but he`s no "Ray Lewis of the CFL" like aforementioned

.