Pagano Doesn't See An Issue With Converting Colts Pass Rushers

[GoColts8818]

And the same can be said for Freeney.

Bottom line. Who's cheaper, younger,more apt to convert etc will all go into what HC and whomever is DC look for.

The counter to this is which is under contract and which is not?

Freeney and Mathis are a good tandom and along with Bethea are probably our three best players on defense. I would expect all three to be brought back and have the new defense built around them.

yes something needs to be done with Freeney but since it's probably going to mean Freeney is going to get more years on his contract I doubt he's going to fight it too much.

[coltsblue1844]

As hard as it is if i was the colts i wouldnt pay freeney that 19mil.. if he didnt take a new deal he would have to be released.. they have a guy in jerry hughes who is still young and has alot of potential.. the guy needs a chance to prove himself.

But i could imagine with so many great and potentially really good pass rushers on this team.. they would be a really good 3-4 team... i just hope they can * a big DT during the draft to see if he can play the middle.

i agree, it would be nice to have Freeney around, but if he doesnt agree to a new deal that significantly lowers his cap hit, we just cant afford to keep him...

on a different subject, i honestly think that having Pagano and a new D scheme just may give Jerry Hughes a shot to make a name for himself, yet

[FireJimCaldwell]

http://www.nfl.com/p...2495982/profile

That lists him at 283.

Freeney is listed at 268 so the question is would the 15 pounds be a deal breaker. The new coach doesn't think so at least not right now. That could change.

I doubt Freeney has seen 268 in about 10 years. It will be interesting to see what they do with this tandem if they keep both of them.

[GoColts8818]

I doubt Freeney has seen 268 in about 10 years. It will be interesting to see what they do with this tandem if they keep both of them.

That's why I said listed. Who knows what these guys reallly weigh.

[GrizzColt]

Force = Mass * Acceleration. Mario has more mass, but Freeney accelerates his at a greater rate. From some of the plays we've seen Dwight do, I bet he registers more force than almost any DE in the league. If he weren't held and double teamed all of the time, we would see why he is so feared. I would hope Pagano is thinking the same thing. UNLEASH DWIGHT FREENEY.

[Smitto]

You are right - a 3-4 has to start with a dominant NT. Without that everything else begins to break down. I too think Freeney and his $19 million is too much to carry. Lost in all the Peyton talk, this is nearly as sad. I do not think for a second Freeney, at his age and weight and with his skills can hold his edge alone. Pagano can talk glowingly now, but ultimately I think Freeney will not fit, if not for his size and ability should they go 3-4, but for that enormous cap number.

I think freeney can play the 3-4 i mean look at james harrison.. the guy is 33yrs old 6'0 240 pounds. The only thing thats bothering me is his 19 mil.. would be nice if they just extended it and brung that price down so he could retire a colt...

[coltsblue1844]

I think freeney can play the 3-4 i mean look at james harrison.. the guy is 33yrs old 6'0 240 pounds. The only thing thats bothering me is his 19 mil.. would be nice if they just extended it and brung that price down so he could retire a colt...

i would have to guess that his contract was back loaded in the way that it is, because we needed cap space when he signed it...and was intended to be reworked before it's last year (now)...now i just hope that he agrees to do it!

all that said, i'm excited to see what changes we make on D and how we do next season...we have nowhere to go but up!

i would be lying if i said i didnt hope that we get to see at least another couple years of Peyton as our starting QB, though. I'm all for drafting Luck to be our future QB, but i'm admittedly not ready for Peyton to be gone yet. I dont want his last snap as a Colt to be in that Jets game...and i feel like if healthy, he still has at least a couple great seasons left in him.

[Smitto]

i agree, it would be nice to have Freeney around, but if he doesnt agree to a new deal that significantly lowers his cap hit, we just cant afford to keep him...

on a different subject, i honestly think that having Pagano and a new D scheme just may give Jerry Hughes a shot to make a name for himself, yet

It will be intersting to see what they do, in the press conference chuck talked about the draft and FA.. what about a trade? thatd be much better than releasing him

[coltsblue1844]

It will be intersting to see what they do, in the press conference chuck talked about the draft and FA.. what about a trade? thatd be much better than releasing him

My preference would be to rework his deal to a much lower salary cap #...but if that didnt work, and someone would trade for him, i'd be all for it...but trades are rarer in the NFL and the trade value is much lower, you rarely get close to equal value when trading players for picks....and worst case scenario, if he doesnt want to do a cap friendly deal, we would save $19million on the salary cap by releasing him...not saying that we would, be we could sign Mario Williams for a much cheaper salary cap # than that...and he's much younger and already has experience in the 3-4....

Who knows if the Texans can resign him...they have set themselves up for a bit of a salary cap problem, really...Arian Foster is going to want a huge deal this offseason, also.

[FireJimCaldwell]

My preference would be to rework his deal to a much lower salary cap #...but if that didnt work, and someone would trade for him, i'd be all for it...but trades are rarer in the NFL and the trade value is much lower, you rarely get close to equal value when trading players for picks....and worst case scenario, if he doesnt want to do a cap friendly deal, we would save $19million on the salary cap by releasing him...not saying that we would, be we could sign Mario Williams for a much cheaper salary cap # than that...and he's much younger and already has experience in the 3-4....

Who knows if the Texans can resign him...they have set themselves up for a bit of a salary cap problem, really...Arian Foster is going to want a huge deal this offseason, also.

Trading or cutting him would only save 14 million. He has 5 million that will be due either way due to his previous signing bonus. So if they covert the majority of that 14 million into a bonus and extend him 3 years, his cap # will drop to the 9-10 million range.

[Smitto]

My preference would be to rework his deal to a much lower salary cap #...but if that didnt work, and someone would trade for him, i'd be all for it...but trades are rarer in the NFL and the trade value is much lower, you rarely get close to equal value when trading players for picks....and worst case scenario, if he doesnt want to do a cap friendly deal, we would save $19million on the salary cap by releasing him...not saying that we would, be we could sign Mario Williams for a much cheaper salary cap # than that...and he's much younger and already has experience in the 3-4....

Who knows if the Texans can resign him...they have set themselves up for a bit of a salary cap problem, really...Arian Foster is going to want a huge deal this offseason, also.

I was thinking there is no way the texans let go mario williams cause they could just franchise tag him... but that could complicate fosters signing plus they have JJ Watt who is turning into a beast so that is possible.

But can you imagine? a guy they got just for the sacking of manning to come to the colts? lol hard to believe

[cashgotsneaks]

I believe freeney can fit in the defense kinda in a elvis dummervil sense..dummervil and jason hunter both alternated a lot from de to lb from play to play. As far as mathis goes i believe he can make the switch to lb and play majority of the downs. Just hope they restructure some contracts and add some big pieces.

[JoKeR]

Maybe mathis production has some thing to do with playing on the other side of freeney

again that's nothing new, so what has changed?