So where does Freeney land?

[HtownColt]

Buffalo

[Warhorse]

Legion of Boom.

[seeblu]

Seattle?  Dallas??  (shudder) New England....?

Dwight will not end up in a Pats uniform.  He does not fit their player profile.  Dwight is a pass rushing DE.  Period.  Don't misunderstand me, I loved Dwight the Fright.  But he does not now fit this defensive scheme. 

[Bubba]

I hate to say it, but I'll bet it's New England. They have absolutely zero pass rush so I think that would make good sense.

[Vltrophy1]

Freeney will cost too much for the Packers as I'd like to see him play opposite Matthews. We have Perry but he hasn't shown much

[Vltrophy1]

Seattle would love to have Woodson or Freeney

[Gavin]

Freeney will cost too much for the Packers as I'd like to see him play opposite Matthews. We have Perry but he hasn't shown much

Perry played in only 6 games and started only 5 at least give him till the end of his contract is up to see how he turns out, It takes some players time to adjust

[ReMeDy]

Why do so many seem convinced he's heading to New England? They've got some serious cap issues to deal with first. Dwight Freeney isn't exactly cheap.

[Gavin]

Why do so many seem convinced he's heading to New England? They've got some serious cap issues to deal with first. Dwight Freeney isn't exactly cheap.

I doubt would be worth what he made this year, I wouldn't say cheap but for someone who is just a situational pass rusher I wouldn't overpay him like Polian insisted on doing, plus have to take his age into consideration and the plethora of younger pass rushers available via the draft and even FA

[United We Stand]

Highly unlikely he'll go to Dallas. They are already 18 million over the cap and have several guys they need to take care of. 

ah, good point

[Happy2BeHere]

I bet a wooden nickel he ends up with.......the JETS!

I'll see your wood nickel and raise you a copper rivet

[Andy]

The best fit right now seems to be Seattle. SB contender, 4-3 defense, very good defense.

 

Another logical fit could be the Falcons, who have more of a need at the DE spot.

 

A couple of other places that make sense are the Broncos, Lions and Patriots. 

[HarassedOffTheSite]

Dallas Cowboys

[lollygagger8]

1) Buffalo

2) Atlanta

3) Seattle

 

I doubt it's New England, do they even have enough cap room?

[Indyfan4life]

Atlanta or Seattle.

[Tark The Shark]

I expect Tampa or Atlanta. Both need pass rushers and Freeney can set an example for the younger pass rushers.

[fncoltsfan]

Dallas Cowboys

cowboys are 20 million over cap so not there

[HarassedOffTheSite]

cowboys are 20 million over cap so not there

 

That doesnt mean anything as it pertains to Freeney. They're gonna dump salary at some point this offseason. And most of it will be defensive.

[Colts Fan In L.A.]

I'm guessing Atlanta or Chicago

[dw49]

I doubt would be worth what he made this year, I wouldn't say cheap but for someone who is just a situational pass rusher I wouldn't overpay him like Polian insisted on doing, plus have to take his age into consideration and the plethora of younger pass rushers available via the draft and even FA

 

 

Draft yes but FA , not really. There is no way Cinn. doesn't keep Johnson. Ditto for Cliff Anveril. Micheal Bennett is a bit of a sleeper but the Bucs have planty of cap room and their other DE (Bowers) is in huge hot water. So what's expected to be available is Freeney and Osi Umenyiora. He as old as Freeney and not the player. There are a few 3-4 guys but in all likelyhood these two guys will be the best out there for 4-3 teams.

 

Also teams could think the scheme and bad ankle caused a lot of the fall off. He just might end up a little more pricey than some think.

[tahuyaman]

I would be surprised if he doesn't land in Seattle.

[chad72]

Atlanta or Seattle.

 

This gets my vote. I do think it will boil down to these two. As long as he is in the NFC, I will be fine with it .

[Superman]

I'm on my phone so I can't link it, but there's an artilce from Chappell about Freeney, where he says that he expected the team to make a low offer and he'd just accept and finish his career in Indy.

I don't think he fits our defense, so I get that we're moving on. But this makes me even more convinced that we could have done something with his contract before the season.

 

Edit: link added

http://www.indystar.com/article/20130220/SPORTS/302200059/Freeney-disappointed-he-didn-t-get-offer-from-Colts

[Balzer40]

I'm on my phone so I can't link it, but there's an artilce from Chappell about Freeney, where he says that he expected the team to make a low offer and he'd just accept and finish his career in Indy.

I don't think he fits our defense, so I get that we're moving on. But this makes me even more convinced that we could have done something with his contract before the season.

 

 

 

What is a "low offer" to Freeney though? Because IMO anything is too much when the player sucks at the scheme. It makes absolutely ZERO sense to keep any player, regardless of his past, when the team knows ahead of time that he doesn't work in the scheme.

[chad72]

Here are some player pitches floating around (Peyton and Roddy White courting Freeney):

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000140662/article/dwight-freeney-is-being-courted-by-peyton-manning

 

Plus, I heard Adrian Peterson talked to Freeney at an NBA game - http://thevikingage.com/2013/02/20/vikings-free-agent-watchadrian-peterson-is-recruiting-dwight-freeney/

 

First time free agent since he was drafted, like Peyton last year.

[Jules]

It's odd. In the past I used to think the idea of Freeney being on another team would scare me. It no longer doesn't. I just feel while he is still a good player and I have respect for him that I don't fear him.......

 

I wish him luck but at the same time I am not sure it bothers me much where he ends up? Kinda like all veteran cuts we made last year. Of course you all prefer they end up on the NFC or something but at the same time it does not matter to me as much anymore. *shrugs*

 

Times are just changing it seems.

[Jules]

What is a "low offer" to Freeney though? Because IMO anything is too much when the player sucks at the scheme. It makes absolutely ZERO sense to keep any player, regardless of his past, when the team knows ahead of time that he doesn't work in the scheme.

 

I agree. He doesn't fit here. He might be effective at times but more times then not it's like a fish out of water.

[Superman]

What is a "low offer" to Freeney though? Because IMO anything is too much when the player sucks at the scheme. It makes absolutely ZERO sense to keep any player, regardless of his past, when the team knows ahead of time that he doesn't work in the scheme.

 

I agree. But we did keep him last season, at $19m. His comments here make it more reasonable to believe that we could have offered him an extension before the season and lowered his 2012 cap hit without having to worry about an elite level offer or a lot of guaranteed money. It doesn't sound like it would have taken a $50m contract with $20m guaranteed to get him to extend. If we decided to release him and move on now, it would have effectively moved his $14m salary from being exclusively against the 2012 cap to being spread between 2012 and 2013 (and maybe even 2014, if we designated it a post June 1 release).

 

I'm speaking of benefits specifically on the cap.

 

Just speaks to the fact that the team had pretty well decided that they weren't optimistic about having Freeney be a part of the team moving forward. I guess they did right by him in not releasing or trading him, but that $14m would have come in handy last year. We could have signed a top level guard and corner with that cap space.

 

I wish Freeney the best, and I think him for all his service. He's been one of the most important players on the team over the years, and despite the underwhelming statistical output, his impact is undeniable on the field. Class act, team player, model citizen. He'll be in the Ring of Honor soon, and has an outside shot at the Hall of Fame. But, like I said leading up to the season, I think deciding not to do something different with his contract was a mistake, from a cap management standpoint. You won't find a bigger Ryan Grigson fan than me, but this is pretty much the only area I think he could have done better with.

[Superman]

It's odd. In the past I used to think the idea of Freeney being on another team would scare me. It no longer doesn't.

 

Is that a double negative? It's a double something...

 

;)

[shakedownstreet]

toronto

[Hammer]

Peyton recruiting Freeney!

[krunk]

Freeney wants to play for Jets or Giants

http://www.mysimpleformula.com/

Now that would be a lethal combination if you team him with Jason Pierre Paul. Not a bad idea.....

[HarassedOffTheSite]

Sounds like he wants to go to the Giants.

[BOTT]

Why do so many seem convinced he's heading to New England? They've got some serious cap issues to deal with first. Dwight Freeney isn't exactly cheap.

Because ESPN has convinced everyone that all free agents are heading to New England. Best trading partner for the Vikings and Percy Harvin according to ESPN? New England of course

[jwilli69]

I agree. But we did keep him last season, at $19m. His comments here make it more reasonable to believe that we could have offered him an extension before the season and lowered his 2012 cap hit without having to worry about an elite level offer or a lot of guaranteed money. It doesn't sound like it would have taken a $50m contract with $20m guaranteed to get him to extend. If we decided to release him and move on now, it would have effectively moved his $14m salary from being exclusively against the 2012 cap to being spread between 2012 and 2013 (and maybe even 2014, if we designated it a post June 1 release).

I'm speaking of benefits specifically on the cap.

Just speaks to the fact that the team had pretty well decided that they weren't optimistic about having Freeney be a part of the team moving forward. I guess they did right by him in not releasing or trading him, but that $14m would have come in handy last year. We could have signed a top level guard and corner with that cap space.

I wish Freeney the best, and I think him for all his service. He's been one of the most important players on the team over the years, and despite the underwhelming statistical output, his impact is undeniable on the field. Class act, team player, model citizen. He'll be in the Ring of Honor soon, and has an outside shot at the Hall of Fame. But, like I said leading up to the season, I think deciding not to do something different with his contract was a mistake, from a cap management standpoint. You won't find a bigger Ryan Grigson fan than me, but this is pretty much the only area I think he could have done better with.

I just read the article this morning that says Dwight expected them to offer him a low offer and be would just accept it. I call nonsense! Last season he was quoted as saying he would not restructure his 19 mil cap hit but this year he would be willing to play for peanuts? Give me a break. I love what Freeney has done for the team over the years but this is PR speak all the way and wants to make sure the team looks like the jerks for not offering him a chance to return as opposed to him appearing that maybe he doesn't fit in anymore, which he doesn't. Does anyone believe of they offered him a 2 yr contract worth 3 mil + some incentives he would have accepted that and said awww shucks, I just want to be a Colt for life, money means little compared to that? Yeah, me either.

[oldunclemark]

Peyton recruiting Freeney!

It would make sense.....Freeney is a pass situation player..at this point...

He could play with Dumervill and Von Miller....because Dwighyt wouldnt be on the filked on 1st down....(or maybe 2nd down)

But he'd have to accept a $3 mil deal like jwilli says..

The NYGs do use 4 defensive ends in passing situations (I dont know why everybody doeen't do that) and he would fit there or in Dallas.

Freeney still drew double teams last year..he's not done..

[Superman]

I just read the article this morning that says Dwight expected them to offer him a low offer and be would just accept it. I call nonsense! Last season he was quoted as saying he would not restructure his 19 mil cap hit but this year he would be willing to play for peanuts? Give me a break. I love what Freeney has done for the team over the years but this is PR speak all the way and wants to make sure the team looks like the jerks for not offering him a chance to return as opposed to him appearing that maybe he doesn't fit in anymore, which he doesn't. Does anyone believe of they offered him a 2 yr contract worth 3 mil + some incentives he would have accepted that and said awww shucks, I just want to be a Colt for life, money means little compared to that? Yeah, me either.

 

To the bolded, I think you have inaccurate information. Dwight could not restructure his contract last season because he was in the final year of his deal. It would have had to be an extension, and both the team and Dwight are on the record as saying that there were no talks of an extension from either side. As a matter of fact, Dwight didn't even have an agent until reports started coming out before the draft that the team was considering trading or releasing him.

 

I think the fact that the team never approached him regarding an extension, coupled with the fact that they didn't bother to make an offer to him him moving forward, is clear evidence that they didn't anticipate him fitting well into the new system and were ready to move on.

 

As for your suggestion that Dwight wouldn't have accepted a vet minimum offer as you described above, well I don't know where you're getting those numbers from. He said "something low," not vet minimum. I was thinking four years, $20m, or something like that, when he said "something low," not vet minimum with incentives.

 

Maybe it is something of a PR game, but I believe you're working with some off target assumptions.

[jwilli69]

I guess that is your opinion but Freeney did state he was not open to doing anything different with his contract last season. It was almost pay me 14 mil or cut me stance IMO. The team could have done an extension that would have lowered his cap, his salary and him still make money but allow the team an out if he didn't fit. Also, nowhere did I say he would make a vet min. 3 mil is not vet min. I take the talk as PR and nothing more. Freeney would not have taken 3 mil a yr from the Colts. He may take it from another team because that's about the worth of an aging situational pass rusher. Can he come to terms with that? We shall see.

[Superman]

I guess that is your opinion but Freeney did state he was not open to doing anything different with his contract last season. It was almost pay me 14 mil or cut me stance IMO. The team could have done an extension that would have lowered his cap, his salary and him still make money but allow the team an out if he didn't fit. Also, nowhere did I say he would make a vet min. 3 mil is not vet min. I take the talk as PR and nothing more. Freeney would not have taken 3 mil a yr from the Colts. He may take it from another team because that's about the worth of an aging situational pass rusher. Can he come to terms with that? We shall see.

I thought you meant three million over two years, which is basically vet minimum. Either way, Freeney didn't mention any specific number, so whatever your figure is, you can't project that onto him and say "he wouldn't have taken that, so he's full of it."

Going back to Freeney's comments, he never stated that he wasn't willing to do anything with his contract. You'll have to source that claim. I kept up pretty closely with the Freeney situation last offseason, because I expected something to be done. I'm fairly certain that's not accurate. I'm also fairly certain that the team and Freeney said that no one brought up reworking or extending his contract.

I'm of the opinion that we should have done something before the season. Like you said, the team still would have had options moving forward. But it seems pretty obvious that they were content to leave it the way it was.

[Gavin]

To the bolded, I think you have inaccurate information. Dwight could not restructure his contract last season because he was in the final year of his deal. It would have had to be an extension, and both the team and Dwight are on the record as saying that there were no talks of an extension from either side. As a matter of fact, Dwight didn't even have an agent until reports started coming out before the draft that the team was considering trading or releasing him.

 

I think the fact that the team never approached him regarding an extension, coupled with the fact that they didn't bother to make an offer to him him moving forward, is clear evidence that they didn't anticipate him fitting well into the new system and were ready to move on.

 

As for your suggestion that Dwight wouldn't have accepted a vet minimum offer as you described above, well I don't know where you're getting those numbers from. He said "something low," not vet minimum. I was thinking four years, $20m, or something like that, when he said "something low," not vet minimum with incentives.

 

Maybe it is something of a PR game, but I believe you're working with some off target assumptions.

http://www.askthecommish.com/salarycap/FAQ.aspx

 

Admittedly I dont know alot about the cap and its rules but I thought his contract could be restructured after 12 months after his most recent restructuring