Sign Dwight Freeney

[Mahdi]

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/05/12/dwight-freeney-begging-for-work-admits-hell-go-anywhere/

This team can use some vet leadership, and more than that, outside of Jerry Hughes we don't have any proven pass rushers.

Freeney would be a 3rd down specialist as he was with the Cards successfully.

[sukie]

Isn't he like 70 in football years?

[Pinkerton Security]

One-trick pony who has always been poor against the run - only way I'd sign him is bringing him in at the vet minimum, he isn't worth any more than that.

[Forward_Lateral]

No.

[Night Train]

We drafted this guy named Shaq Lawson to play outside.

Can he play RT ?

[Skooby]

This seems redundant / we just drafted for that position, so where's the logic ?

[swiper]

All these vested veterans used to have the owners by their balls when free agency first started. It's been around long enough that the owners have adapted to it. Pre-1988 (or whenever it started) you used to have all these players (I remember Reuben Gant (http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GantRe00.htm) *****ing about Ralph Wilson) complaining that they couldn't shop themselves around.

Now, the owners have this put in this salary cap. Nothing the union can do about it. So all those > 30 year old vets that aren't truly stars just get deleted for younger cheaper kids at a rate much faster than before.

Freeney is a good example.

[Thurmal]

The "vet leadership" argument is an interesting one. I thought the team really missed that last year. Obviously Karlos Williams and Mike Gillislee were more productive than Freddy could've been, but I really think the team missed him as a stalwart from a character standpoint.

[Mace]

All these vested veterans used to have the owners by their balls when free agency first started. It's been around long enough that the owners have adapted to it. Pre-1988 (or whenever it started) you used to have all these players (I remember Reuben Gant (http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/G/GantRe00.htm) *****ing about Ralph Wilson) complaining that they couldn't shop themselves around.

Now, the owners have this put in this salary cap. Nothing the union can do about it. So all those > 30 year old vets that aren't truly stars just get deleted for younger cheaper kids at a rate much faster than before.

Freeney is a good example.

Dunno. To me Freeney is a good example of being a 36 year pro football player who has to run around a lot, absorb a lot of contact, give a lot of contact, and doesn't add much. I'd pass because we have younger guys we need to do it, and I don't see Freeney being the situational rotation who takes us to the promised land. There are still places I can truly see him ending up, and think he will, but I'd pass on him here.

[Mahdi]

This seems redundant / we just drafted for that position, so where's the logic ?

The logic is that we have only one proven pass rusher.

Can you imagine an injury to Hughes? Also having a vet pass rusher like Freeney who can teach the young guys and add some pressure on third downs is a nice bonus.

Demarcus Ware played a huge role for Denver last year even though Miller was the star.

[YardRat]

If we're going to add vet depth at this point I'd prefer it be at a position that needs it worse than the front seven on defense, like oline or safety.

[DraftBoy]

Move would make no sense. He doesn't fit the system, he's lost a lot of his speed, and he plays the same position as Hughes.

In Rex's system the strong side DE opposite Hughes has to set the edge and maintain his rush lane regardless of the obvious situation. Freeney is an upfield rusher who does the exact thing that Bart Scott just mentioned the defense doesn't need or want.

I get the leadership example but this would be a bad signing for our scheme.

[Mahdi]

Move would make no sense. He doesn't fit the system, he's lost a lot of his speed, and he plays the same position as Hughes.

In Rex's system the strong side DE opposite Hughes has to set the edge and maintain his rush lane regardless of the obvious situation. Freeney is an upfield rusher who does the exact thing that Bart Scott just mentioned the defense doesn't need or want.

I get the leadership example but this would be a bad signing for our scheme.

He's a good character guy that will do what's asked and on third down can be schemed up to rush the passer. Mario wasn't a fit because he wanted to do it his way.

Freeney played for the Cards who also have a similar system to Rex. They also scheme up their blitzes.

At the end of the day you need good pass rushers and we are very short in that department. Even if Lawson comes out and plays well early you need another player that can get to the QB off the edge to spell others and in case of injury.

[swiper]

He's a good character guy that will do what's asked and on third down can be schemed up to rush the passer. Mario wasn't a fit because he wanted to do it his way.

Freeney played for the Cards who also have a similar system to Rex. They also scheme up their blitzes.

At the end of the day you need good pass rushers and we are very short in that department. Even if Lawson comes out and plays well early you need another player that can get to the QB off the edge to spell others and in case of injury.

This post is all wrong. As are most of this poster's gibberish.

[Pinkerton Security]

The logic is that we have only one proven pass rusher.

Can you imagine an injury to Hughes? Also having a vet pass rusher like Freeney who can teach the young guys and add some pressure on third downs is a nice bonus.

Demarcus Ware played a huge role for Denver last year even though Miller was the star.

Demarcus was still playing at a fairly high level, I dont think Freeney is even close to him.

[stuckincincy]

He's a good character guy that will do what's asked and on third down can be schemed up to rush the passer. Mario wasn't a fit because he wanted to do it his way.

Freeney played for the Cards who also have a similar system to Rex. They also scheme up their blitzes.

At the end of the day you need good pass rushers and we are very short in that department. Even if Lawson comes out and plays well early you need another player that can get to the QB off the edge to spell others and in case of injury.

If he came super cheap, I suppose he might help, but he would chew up a roster spot. Perhaps taking the place of a pair of young legs needed for ST duty.

[DraftBoy]

He's a good character guy that will do what's asked and on third down can be schemed up to rush the passer. Mario wasn't a fit because he wanted to do it his way.

Ok...


Freeney played for the Cards who also have a similar system to Rex. They also scheme up their blitzes.

No they don't.


At the end of the day you need good pass rushers and we are very short in that department. Even if Lawson comes out and plays well early you need another player that can get to the QB off the edge to spell others and in case of injury.

You don't seem to understand that in our system they're not going to put Hughes and Freeney on the field at the same time. They play the exact same position on the field, putting them both out there and having them both rush straight up field creates a liability for the defense that they have to cover which limits the opportunities of the coaching staff to scheme up exotic blitzes.

[justasportsfan]

He's a good character guy that will do what's asked and on third down

Maybe we can sign Tasker. High chracter snd should bring in leadership

[Mahdi]

A
Ok...



No they don't.



You don't seem to understand that in our system they're not going to put Hughes and Freeney on the field at the same time. They play the exact same position on the field, putting them both out there and having them both rush straight up field creates a liability for the defense that they have to cover which limits the opportunities of the coaching staff to scheme up exotic blitzes.

Who says they always have to be on the field at the same time?

First of all they can be, Hughes can drop or rush, both can rush and Freeney can also drop as he's still athletic enough to drop into a zone.

Second, I clearly stated that we need more than just Hughes because if you want to make the playoffs you need to have more than just one edge rusher who can get to the QB.

As of now we have Hughes and that's it.

We complain that we don't get to the playoffs but when the prospect of adding a vet who has done it all and can still produce presents itself everyone acts all wise about how we don't need them.

Just remember that Denver had 2 proven guys and they still drafted Shane Ray plus they also had solid players like Wolf and Malick Jackson who have rush ability.

How could it hurt to add a guy who had 8 sacks last year that can step in for 15-20 snaps on third downs and also be insurance in case of injury?

I'm also assuming he gets a very minimal contract...

[stuckincincy]

Freeney stuff:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000662567/article/six-most-interesting-players-still-on-freeagent-market

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/05/12/dwight-freeney-begging-for-work-admits-hell-go-anywhere/

I can see the temptation - but it's a roster spot, it's $, and also, you have to keep a certain number of young legs around for the STs.

[swiper]

Freeney is beyond done. He can want anything he wants, but pro personnel guys know better.

[Mace]

Only way you sign a Freeney is if you're a Freeney away from something. We aren't. That leaves signing a 36 year old pass rusher to play in an unfamiliar system at an unfamiliar position to take snaps away from a guy who needs to learn the system more than a situational aging vet who won't be here long anyway. You want those snaps spent on a guy who either knows the system for now, or a guy who needs to know it and has a longer shelf life for when we might really theoretically contend for anything down the road.

[mdcas22]

Are we crazy here, DF is done and we forget that Rex's system doesn't call for a guy to have 15 sacks, sacks are a secondary thing in his system. go back and look at who led his teams in sack since he has been a head coach and will see that I think 1 time has anyone had double digit sacks, most of the time 6 -8 sacks leads the team.

[swiper]

Are we crazy here, DF is done and we forget that Rex's system doesn't call for a guy to have 15 sacks, sacks are a secondary thing in his system. go back and look at who led his teams in sack since he has been a head coach and will see that I think 1 time has anyone had double digit sacks, most of the time 6 -8 sacks leads the team.

It seems that everyone except the op realizes all this.

[YardRat]

Are we crazy here, DF is done and we forget that Rex's system doesn't call for a guy to have 15 sacks, sacks are a secondary thing in his system. go back and look at who led his teams in sack since he has been a head coach and will see that I think 1 time has anyone had double digit sacks, most of the time 6 -8 sacks leads the team.

So we have a head coach who doesn't want to rush the passer in an era of a passing-heavy league. Well, I guess he really could be a genius, what was I thinking?

[Dr. Lecter]

So we have a head coach who doesn't want to rush the passer in an era of a passing-heavy league. Well, I guess he really could be a genius, what was I thinking?
That isn't what was said and isn't the basis of his defense.

I suspect you know that, but you have a mission.

[stuckincincy]

Freeney gets a look-see:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000664555/article/bengals-to-work-out-veteran-de-dwight-freeney