How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

[Kerr]

Seriously, could the bills afford him if they don't retain clements and fletcher?
Let's face it, the bills defensive line leaves a lot to desired. Consider that the two superbowl teams have average to solid corners, no all pros. The thing they do have is an excellent pass rush. Dwight Freeney-Robert Mathis-O-gun-Alex Brown. Schobel and Kelsay can't compete with that as a tandem. Yeah I get it, if we upgraded the tackle spot the ends might pick up more sacks, etc, but you don't have to settle for an average to solid end when you can get an all pro end like freeney as long as you upgrade the tackle spot. Pick an Ian Scott and Freeney to pair up with Schobel and you've already patched up the D-line. Eventually McCargo and another draft pick will chip in. A lot of us are forgetting that the key elements to the cover 2 are the D-line and linebackers more than the secondary. You can get away with average to solid corners, which is why most of these cover 2 corners usually don't excel that well in any other system other than the cover 2. Teams also don't break the bank for a top corner, when it's not necessary. In the teams case, if clements wants a big payday, then he can go find it somewhere else. Bring in a stopgap corner to fill in until youbouty is ready. You can't honestly want to break the bank on clements when a corner like him is not needed for this scheme. You probably couldn't get both freeney and briggs. Who would you rather have? You have so many options this offseason at linebacker, but very few with the defensive line. Freeney and Schobel? Which one are you going to pick to double team? Pick your poison.

Discuss.

[OpIv37]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

could we afford him? Yes, but then we still need to find replacements for Clements and Fletcher.

No matter how you do it, this D is still gonna have some serious holes

[Carlton Bailey]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

Here's how it can be done...

Sign Freeney

Crowell to MLB, Spikes and Ellison at OLBs

Draft DT in Round 1, if available.

[BILLSROCK1212]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

Here's how it can be done...

Sign Freeney

Crowell to MLB, Spikes and Ellison at OLBs

Draft DT in Round 1, if available.

i wudnt have a problem with that at all

[Mitchy moo]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

Here's how it can be done...

Sign Freeney

Crowell to MLB, Spikes and Ellison at OLBs

Draft DT in Round 1, if available.

Yep that looks like it would work but Freeney is going to be real expensive!!

[Mudflap1]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

Um, who is going to write a check for the signing bonus money? That's the problem here... we have the cap room to spread over several years, but Ralph is going to have to get the checkbook out and write a $10+ million (probably $15MM, maybe $20MM) signing bonus check, on the spot! Does he have the kinda scratch lying around? Perhaps, but he has to sign other players, draft, and run the rest of the team. Going after $2MM to $8MM signing bonus-type guys seems to be about Ralph's speed. Does anyone have any data on hand about the signing bonuses Ralph has paid over the last 10-15 years?

Jon

[Tatonka]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

Yeah.. it would be awesome to have dominant defensive ends like Indy... I mean, we all know how good they are against the run.. 32nd in the league is nothing to scoff at.. and look at these mind boggling pass rushing numbers...

Dwight Freeney - 35 solo tackles, 10 assists, 5.5 sacks

Robert Mathis - 76 solo tackles, 14 assists, 9.5 sacks

those numbers look good.. just out of curiousity.. lets take a look at what we have currently..

BACKUP Ryan Denny - 38 solo tackles, 16 assists, 6 sacks

Chris Kelsay - 41 solo tackles, 20 assists, 5.5 sacks

Aaron Schobel - 35 solos, 18 assists, 14 sacks

that is weird.. it seems that both starters and one back up for the bills put up better numbers than freeney.. and schobel was one sack shy of equaling both freeney and mathis..

come on guys.. freeney cant stop the run and he is not a dominant pass rusher.. i watched him a ton this season.. he was not double teamed every play.. he didnt always have the running back chipping on him.. teams just caught on.. he isnt bull rushing anyone.. and if your tackle can control his speed move, he is done.

people need to realize that what we have at DE is not bad.

[camelcowboy]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

freeney with his stupid spin move can go somewhere else. Upgrade D-tackle and line backer, and re-sign kelsay

[Mudflap1]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

Let's not pretend that Freeney is a bum either guys... he is really good and is going to cost a lot...

That being said, I think Polian tags him. Tatonka, you're point is right in the fact that our guys we have aren't that bad. While I would take Freeney in a heartbeat over Kelsay, Denney, etc. we have other needs that need to be filled first, such as offensive line, defensive tackle, cornerback, linebacker. I'd rather see the Bills spend the bigger money (as big as they're willing to go) in those areas.

Jon

[BILLSROCK1212]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

Yeah.. it would be awesome to have dominant defensive ends like Indy... I mean, we all know how good they are against the run.. 32nd in the league is nothing to scoff at.. and look at these mind boggling pass rushing numbers...

Dwight Freeney - 35 solo tackles, 10 assists, 5.5 sacks

Robert Mathis - 76 solo tackles, 14 assists, 9.5 sacks

those numbers look good.. just out of curiousity.. lets take a look at what we have currently..

BACKUP Ryan Denny - 38 solo tackles, 16 assists, 6 sacks

Chris Kelsay - 41 solo tackles, 20 assists, 5.5 sacks

Aaron Schobel - 35 solos, 18 assists, 14 sacks

that is weird.. it seems that both starters and one back up for the bills put up better numbers than freeney.. and schobel was one sack shy of equaling both freeney and mathis..

come on guys.. freeney cant stop the run and he is not a dominant pass rusher.. i watched him a ton this season.. he was not double teamed every play.. he didnt always have the running back chipping on him.. teams just caught on.. he isnt bull rushing anyone.. and if your tackle can control his speed move, he is done.

people need to realize that what we have at DE is not bad.

this was a down year for freeney but after seeing those stats id rather throw all of our money at Adalius Thomas or Lance Briggs or Kawika Michell

[Kerr]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

Yeah.. it would be awesome to have dominant defensive ends like Indy... I mean, we all know how good they are against the run.. 32nd in the league is nothing to scoff at.. and look at these mind boggling pass rushing numbers...

Dwight Freeney - 35 solo tackles, 10 assists, 5.5 sacks

Robert Mathis - 76 solo tackles, 14 assists, 9.5 sacks

those numbers look good.. just out of curiousity.. lets take a look at what we have currently..

BACKUP Ryan Denny - 38 solo tackles, 16 assists, 6 sacks

Chris Kelsay - 41 solo tackles, 20 assists, 5.5 sacks

Aaron Schobel - 35 solos, 18 assists, 14 sacks

that is weird.. it seems that both starters and one back up for the bills put up better numbers than freeney.. and schobel was one sack shy of equaling both freeney and mathis..

come on guys.. freeney cant stop the run and he is not a dominant pass rusher.. i watched him a ton this season.. he was not double teamed every play.. he didnt always have the running back chipping on him.. teams just caught on.. he isnt bull rushing anyone.. and if your tackle can control his speed move, he is done.

people need to realize that what we have at DE is not bad.

Freeney only had one off year, which was this year. With the exception of this season, he's had 10+ sack seasons since coming into the league. You're going to hold one lackluster year against him? I don't think freeney is as bad against the run as people make him out to be. When it mattered he and the rest of the colts defense held their opponents run game in check for three straight playoffs games. Speed and technique has made Freeney and the likes of Jason Taylor productive in this league. I see that you posted the statistics, but did not post freeney's forced fumble statistis. He had more than any of our ends and you can't deny he has a knack for creating turnovers all the time.
I think it would be great if we could land freeney, but if not, there's no use dwelling on it.
For the sake of the team's success, I hope kelsay and denney are adequate enough to keep this team further in the playoffs.

[Tatonka]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

first of all.. elite defensive ends dont have seasons like this.. period.

and your right kerr.. i didnt post his 4 forced fumbles.. i also didnt post that he had 3 sacks and 3 of those 4 forced fumbles in ONE GAME.. against cincy who was missing their starting LT..

so lets see.. other than his one phenominal game against a back up LT, he had 2.5 sacks in 15 games.. WOW.. amazing.. yeah.. seems like he really has a nack for making those huge plays..

i watched the guy in numerous games this season.. he was a nonfactor.. he got owned.. and he got run over.. he was trying so hard to be a highlight reel, that he ran himself out of plays all day... all season.. he was not solid against the run.. not at any point..

kelsay was actually better than freeney this year.

and denny and his 3 sack game against miami is identical to freeneys except denny was playing against a starter at RT.. and denny is the back up not the starter.

you can say freeney has only had one bad year.. but man it was an awful year.. and this is in light of his pending free agency.. the guy cant even perform with that payday looming?

he will get overpaid because he is a NAME.. but if we were going to spend money, we would be way smarter to invest that in clements and not a DE that cant stop the run as good as what we already have.

[texasphinsfan]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

Freeney would cost more than Clements..... and IMO, you guys need Clements more than Freeney.

Not saying Freeney wouldn't be nice.... but a gaping whole at DB is worse than not having a top-5 pass rusher. i mean you guys already have some solid DEs

[Tatonka]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

what is so nice about freeney ?

he didnt have a down year.. he got exposed..

[Kerr]

Re: How much would Dwight Freeney cost?

first of all.. elite defensive ends dont have seasons like this.. period.

and your right kerr.. i didnt post his 4 forced fumbles.. i also didnt post that he had 3 sacks and 3 of those 4 forced fumbles in ONE GAME.. against cincy who was missing their starting LT..

so lets see.. other than his one phenominal game against a back up LT, he had 2.5 sacks in 15 games.. WOW.. amazing.. yeah.. seems like he really has a nack for making those huge plays..

i watched the guy in numerous games this season.. he was a nonfactor.. he got owned.. and he got run over.. he was trying so hard to be a highlight reel, that he ran himself out of plays all day... all season.. he was not solid against the run.. not at any point..

kelsay was actually better than freeney this year.

and denny and his 3 sack game against miami is identical to freeneys except denny was playing against a starter at RT.. and denny is the back up not the starter.

you can say freeney has only had one bad year.. but man it was an awful year.. and this is in light of his pending free agency.. the guy cant even perform with that payday looming?

he will get overpaid because he is a NAME.. but if we were going to spend money, we would be way smarter to invest that in clements and not a DE that cant stop the run as good as what we already have.

Jason Taylor only had 2.5 sacks in his third year in which he already established himself as a great pass rusher. In '01he had an off year with 8.5 sacks. That's an off year for him. Yeah, I won't deny freeney had an off year and racked up 3 sacks against the bengals backup, but the fact remains he's played pretty well in the playoffs. One could say that frequent double teaming on him has opened up Mathis to make plays. As poor as his season was stastically, he's played a big part in the colts recent success. Remember Simeon Rice? He's had quite a few off years as well. The point is that after having off years, nobody questioned their ability come to back to their elite form. One off year for Freeney doesn't mean he's not elite.