Dwight Freeney cut after today?

[Balzer40]

.....Pagano said from the beginning (in regards to Freeney and Mathis) that he would not try to force a square peg int o around hole, and that it would be foolish not to put them in position to take advantage of what they do best. I agree with that. From what I understand about the scheme, there is great flexability.

I do agree that there is more flexibility with Pagano's scheme, but Freeney will still have to do the other things that his scheme require's, Like dropping into coverage. Im sure Pagano had high hopes when he first came here that Mathis and Freeney could adjust and play in his system, but that don't necessarily mean those hopes have been met. I don't think Freeney is going anywhere, but I think the main reason for that now is because he is essentially un-trade able and there is nobody available right now that could take up his money.

[Superman]

Just a different shade of BigBlueshoe in my opinion.

With that said, I didn't read the article before posting my response, and not sure that I will, after the fact.

It's definitely not a good article. He never even mentions the extension possibility.

[Superman]

Okay then I change it to a knowledgeable poster on here. I am sorry I've never been a big fan of Nate Dunlevy but I would agree he is better than most on bleacher report but again that's like saying Curtis Painter was better than Kerry Collins last year it's not saying a lot.

True.

[MIColtsFan]

same story since March when Grigson said,

"Looking forward to DE Dwight Freeney being part of Colts defense in '12. He will be a Colt."

I still think that is true and Freeney will have a great year

[Superman]

I'm saying you'll see Mathis hustling to the Ball. Freeney looks like he's just going through the Motions. I could be wrong, but this is just what I'm seeing

Freeney has been involved in tons of plays. He's pursuing, he's fighting in the trenches, etc. No, he doesn't have a lot of numbers, but people who suggest that he's going through the motions aren't really paying attention.

[TKnight24]

Freeney has been involved in tons of plays. He's pursuing, he's fighting in the trenches, etc. No, he doesn't have a lot of numbers, but people who suggest that he's going through the motions aren't really paying attention.

Well, I guess I was wrong then. I apologize Freeney... even though you probably won't see this

[ztboiler]

mathis has 1 tackle just like freeney

Mathis has also barely played.

[Gavin]

The way I understand it Freeney has 3 responsibilities

1.Contain the run so it stays inside

2.pass rush, his natural instincts

3.occasionally drop back in coverage

Where Freeney is having problems it appears is

1.containment

2.determining if its a run or pass play

That can be solved by turning Freeney loose solely to do what comes natural to him but that will also leave us vulnerable then we already are in the run game especially to the outside

(Correct me if Im wrong for those know know the game better then me)

[harley]

I'm sure it's all about the Benjamins if he goes. Perhaps Irsay has one more big trade up his sleeve. Dispite the protestations of Gene Smith (Jags GM), maybe MJD isn't all that unexpendable. Jim are you listening?

[jskinnz]

Agreed that he may be a "fish out of water" but isn't it a bit drastic to cut him with only 3 pre-season games under his belt and 1 off-season to acclimate to a completely new defensive scheme. Technically then with the line of reasoning that you are portraying; Manning should have been cut last year because he had no performance. Can you please provide me these numbers that would be saved if he were cut? Does the amount of money we can save really make you feel comfortable losing Freeney?

Your Manning analogy is completely irrelevant. The situations are not remotely close.

I will let someone else chime in with the official numbers but his cap # is substantial. But another irrelevant comment is how I would feel about the move. Who freaking cares how I would feel about it. What is relevant is how Irsay feels about paying big dollars for a player who may not make the impact commiserate with his salary. And what Grigson may feel is that freeing up whatever cap space that would be saved by cutting Freeney may be able to used in other areas.

Again, ultimately I don't see Freeney being cut but to act like the notion has no logic to it is simply not accurate.

[Superman]

The way I understand it Freeney has 3 responsibilities

1.Contain the run so it stays inside

2.pass rush, his natural instincts

3.occasionally drop back in coverage

Where Freeney is having problems it appears is

1.containment

2.determining if its a run or pass play

That can be solved by turning Freeney loose solely to do what comes natural to him but that will also leave us vulnerable then we already are in the run game especially to the outside

(Correct me if Im wrong for those know know the game better then me)

That's a pretty good summation. I don't think Freeney has a problem with the responsibilities of containment. I think the issue has been simple geometry, and as he gets more reps that will get better. I think he can handle the physical demands of the position.

[ViriLudant]

But ..shake...

Drew and Peyton (and Shady Tom Brady) all make 20 mil..right??

Just an FYI: Brady's cap hit this season is $8 mil.

Freeney was overpaid the moment he signed his new contract. Colts made that mistake with Sanders as well.

[chad72]

Just an FYI: Brady's cap hit this season is $8 mil.

Yep, Brees' cap hit is $10 mil. this year.

Freeney is THE highest paid player in the league with his cap hit now.

[shakedownstreet]

Just an FYI: Brady's cap hit this season is $8 mil.

Freeney was overpaid the moment he signed his new contract. Colts made that mistake with Sanders as well.

negative spin

[oldunclemark]

Yep, Brees' cap hit is $10 mil. this year.

Freeney is THE highest paid player in the league with his cap hit now.

Okay..thanks..everybody... I knew there was something there i wasn't getting...

a better way to say it would have been Dwight Freeney is the most expensive player in the NFL...

...I think we should wait and see how we do in the first few games...We may want all hands on deck if we have some success..

I think the exact role Freeney may play once the season starts will change from week to week and in late game situations.

He hasnt played late in a game yet..when you pass rush every down

[ColtsBlueFL]

Every year of Freeney's contract had $5,000 in bonus money that was guaranteed. 30 million total. His base salary climbed from $750,000 in 2007 to the 14.035 today. So that is where people are seeing 14 mil vs 19 mil. 14 is base and the other 5k is Roster and Misc bonus pay.

Typically, that last year is not paid and a new extension is renegotiated before it comes to pass. not in Freeney's case.. they are letting him have his 'just reward' for going lean early in the contract to help keep other vets on the Colts roster.

I see Freeney playing it out, and then we prepare to put up his number at some point while he latches on elsewhere after this season.

[JustAColtsFan]

No other team will pay the 19M to take over his contract. He will be here the remainder of the contract and if he is smart (AND HE IS "VERY") he will bust his tail this season to make himself very attractive for the highest bidder next season.

[Gavin]

That's a pretty good summation. I don't think Freeney has a problem with the responsibilities of containment. I think the issue has been simple geometry, and as he gets more reps that will get better. I think he can handle the physical demands of the position.

what do you mean when you say geometry when it comes to his responsibilities?

[shakedownstreet]

Typically, that last year is not paid and a new extension is renegotiated before it comes to pass. not in Freeney's case.. they are letting him have his 'just reward' for going lean early in the contract to help keep other vets on the Colts roster.

they are not rewarding him, they are just playing wait & see. if we were still under the polian dictatorship, dwight would almost certainly be extended by now

[shakedownstreet]

what do you mean when you say geometry when it comes to his responsibilities?

don't ask. there are far too many quantum physics calculations for us to wrap our tiny minds around

[StewieG]

they are not rewarding him, they are just playing wait & see. if we were still under the polian dictatorship, dwight would almost certainly be extended by now

I agree, I bet sometime before the Polians were canned they were already talking to Dwight about it or were about too.

[chad72]

No other team will pay the 19M to take over his contract. He will be here the remainder of the contract and if he is smart (AND HE IS "VERY") he will bust his tail this season to make himself very attractive for the highest bidder next season.

True. His value as an OLB might be in the $8-10 mil./yr. range for a 3-4 OLB, and is definitely higher as a 4-3 DE, maybe around $12 mil. per year, IMO. While the contracts of pass rushers keeps rising, however, because of his age, he might have to settle for $10 mil. a year as a 4-3 DE next year, wherever he signs a new contract.

[Phil J]

How many series has he been on the field so far these 3 games? Anyone know?

[HtownColt]

Your Manning analogy is completely irrelevant. The situations are not remotely close.

I will let someone else chime in with the official numbers but his cap # is substantial. But another irrelevant comment is how I would feel about the move. Who freaking cares how I would feel about it. What is relevant is how Irsay feels about paying big dollars for a player who may not make the impact commiserate with his salary. And what Grigson may feel is that freeing up whatever cap space that would be saved by cutting Freeney may be able to used in other areas.

Again, ultimately I don't see Freeney being cut but to act like the notion has no logic to it is simply not accurate.

manning is eating up $16 million in dead money

[Superman]

what do you mean when you say geometry when it comes to his responsibilities?

Defense is about playing the angles. I don't think Dwight has figured out the angles just yet.

[ztboiler]

How many series has he been on the field so far these 3 games? Anyone know?

Not an exact count, but this is pretty close. 2 series vs. Rams, 2 series vs. Steelers & 4-5 series vs. Redskins.

[FireJimCaldwell]

manning is eating up $16 million in dead money

No other team will pay the 19M to take over his contract. He will be here the remainder of the contract and if he is smart (AND HE IS "VERY") he will bust his tail this season to make himself very attractive for the highest bidder next season.

Just for the sake of accuracy.

Freeney's initial cap hit to another team would be 14 million.

Manning's 2012 dead cap hit is 10.4.

[ruksak]

That article was useless reading... yes the colts have Hughes but no way the colts cut freeney there's no depth on the roster for that

Agreed.

Not gonna happen this season. I could see us freeing ourselves of his contract after the years end, but not like that.

[FireJimCaldwell]

Defense is about playing the angles. I don't think Dwight has figured out the angles just yet.

He's also had years of training to go in one of only a few directions...

The space is quite different for him.

[Gavin]

Defense is about playing the angles. I don't think Dwight has figured out the angles just yet.

Doesnt look like it

[Marcio James]

Dan Graham ‏@coltsinsider

#Colts "RUMOR" that Dwight Freeney "RUMOR" unsubstantiated has / is being cut

[jskinnz]

manning is eating up $16 million in dead money

And that is relevant to there being some cutting Freeney how?

[HtownColt]

Mannings dead cap hit is a total of $16 million just the colts took $5.6million hit last year."The contract shows that the Colts absorbed a $5.6 million cap charge in 2011, representing one-fifth of the $28 million option bonus that never was paid. So they’ll get a credit against the $16 million acceleration, making the net cap hit $10.6 million."

[chad72]

Freeney leaving for Nothing? I don't see Grigson letting that happen. If Freeney is leaving, we're getting something from it imo

We can get that Vontae Davis late round pick back at best, a 6th rounder, just like Eagles unloaded Asante Samuel and his contract for a 7th. But unfortunately, if we trade him, the two teams with the most salary cap room right now might be the Jags and Titans, and I would hate for him to play in the same division where we will see him twice for sure.

[HtownColt]

How do the Colts field a better team this year without Freeney on it? free agency period is over so its pointless to cut him. Grigson already built his team around Freeney's contract. this is pointless to talk about. Now resigning him in the offseason is the real question

[Phil J]

Dan Graham ‏@coltsinsider

#Colts "RUMOR" that Dwight Freeney "RUMOR" unsubstantiated has / is being cut

This guy is totally you.

[chad72]

How do the Colts field a better team this year without Freeney on it? free agency period is over so its pointless to cut him. Grigson already built his team around Freeney's contract. this is pointless to talk about. Now resigning him in the offseason is the real question

On a totally unrelated note, on radio, I heard that Jake Scott does not want to come back and play unless it is for a deal that does not shortchange him.

Maybe cutting Freeney might help us land some OL vets that may not want to play for a 1 year deal and would want more. Just speculating.

[FireJimCaldwell]

Mannings dead cap hit is a total of $16 million just the colts took $5.6million hit last year."The contract shows that the Colts absorbed a $5.6 million cap charge in 2011, representing one-fifth of the $28 million option bonus that never was paid. So they’ll get a credit against the $16 million acceleration, making the net cap hit $10.6 million."

It's 10.4.. It seems you quoted Florio, and Florio's math was off by .2. 16-5.6 = 10.4

How do the Colts field a better team this year without Freeney on it? free agency period is over so its pointless to cut him. Grigson already built his team around Freeney's contract. this is pointless to talk about. Now resigning him in the offseason is the real question

For 2012, they likely don't... For the overall benefit of the franchise, they have to move him/cut him now, or extend him at some point in the season for the franchise to get a benefit from it.

Letting the season play out with Freeney on the roster and then resigning him would be a waste of resources considering he would at that point have been paid 25 million over the past 2 years..

The point is that something needs to be done to address the 19 million cap hit.

[StewieG]

Dan Graham ‏@coltsinsider

#Colts "RUMOR" that Dwight Freeney "RUMOR" unsubstantiated has / is being cut

Oh great. Now we get to hear rumors about him being cut.

If he is cut Grigson has lost his mind. There is absolutely NO reason to cut him at this point. It would be pure foolishness.

[MAC]

Not going to believe it. I learned my lesson from earlier this year don't believe any report out there. I will wait until I hear it from Mr. Irsay himself or Grigson. That said, i doubt he is going anywhere. If he is, I will be sad but I will get over it. Like I did with Manning. But that means I will have anther jersey to retire then I will have to change my Screename on here.

Believe what? There is no "report". You could probably join Bleacher Report yourself and post an "article" about the likely-hood of Freeney being given part-ownership of the team, and being named Ambassador to Finland. It would be just as "valid".

Personally I don't think that Freeney is going to excel in this defense, and he would probably MUCH prefer to be traded to a playoff bound team where he can resume is old role. But I'm sure that he wants his enormous payday as well. Anything could happen, but since he already fits under the salary cap, the Colts lack depth and experience, and the Colts wouldn't be able to do a thing with whatever money they freed up by releasing him, that would seem to be the least likely outcome. I say that if the Colts get knocked over by someone who really wants him, they will trade him. If not they will let it play out on the off chance that he thrives in the scheme.