Dwight Freeney

[Mitch]

Just spoke with MJ as a caller on his show and he is reporting that Dwight Freeney is now saying he wants to play 1 more year. Freeney said that he would like to "find the right situation" and that he's not in any hurry. Said he would like to return to the Cardinals if the situation is right.

MJ said that the Cardinals can afford to wait on Freeney---that there's no reason for him to participate in OTAs, etc.

However, if the Cardinals want Freeney, are they risking losing him to another team now that teams know he wants to play another year?

While I get what MJ was saying---it sure would feel good to know that Freeney is signed, rather than knowing that he could at any time take on offer from another team.

MJ's question of the day is whether the Cardinals are being to cautious in FA?

What I said was that Vernon signed for ridiculous money, who knows where Mario Williams' head is after tanking it last season...I questioned whether Bruce Irvin is too slight to double as a rush DE in a 4 man front...

But the question I have is why the Cardinals offered JPP a one year deal, because why would he uproot his family for a year when he could stay in NY for another year? If the Cardinals made a mistake---was it in not making a longer term offer to JPP? I realize that there are question marks about his hand---but if the Giants are happy to pay him $10.5M, the hand can't be too much of an issue. Plus, with another year to heal, he is likely going to be able to play without the club and have some increased use of his hand. The thing is---he didn't lose his thumb---that would have been much worse---but still having his thumb enables him to still grasp a jersey when he has to in making a tackle.

It could be that JPP's agent was pushing only a one year deal so that with a very good season he could increase his market back into the $14-18M a year level, which no one would have been willing to give him this year. If that's the case then the Cardinals really had no chance, given that the Giants wanted him back.

Lastly, I mentioned to MJ the whole dispute about the 34OLB prototypes and so-called system fits and he said that the Cardinals have made it clear that if ANY player can rush the QB, they will have a spot for him, regardless. It's good to know that heading into the draft.

 

[Buckybird]

Just spoke with MJ as a caller on his show and he is reporting that Dwight Freeney is now saying he wants to play 1 more year. Freeney said that he would like to "find the right situation" and that he's not in any hurry. Said he would like to return to the Cardinals if the situation is right.

MJ said that the Cardinals can afford to wait on Freeney---that there's no reason for him to participate in OTAs, etc.

However, if the Cardinals want Freeney, are they risking losing him to another team now that teams know he wants to play another year?

While I get what MJ was saying---it sure would feel good to know that Freeney is signed, rather than knowing that he could at any time take on offer from another team.

MJ's question of the day is whether the Cardinals are being to cautious in FA?

What I said was that Vernon signed for ridiculous money, who knows where Mario Williams' head is after tanking it last season...I questioned whether Bruce Irvin is too slight to double as a rush DE in a 4 man front...

But the question I have is why the Cardinals offered JPP a one year deal, because why would he uproot his family for a year when he could stay in NY for another year? If the Cardinals made a mistake---was it in not making a longer term offer to JPP? I realize that there are question marks about his hand---but if the Giants are happy to pay him $10.5M, the hand can't be too much of an issue. Plus, with another year to heal, he is likely going to be able to play without the club and have some increased use of his hand. The thing is---he didn't lose his thumb---that would have been much worse---but still having his thumb enables him to still grasp a jersey when he has to in making a tackle.

It could be that JPP's agent was pushing only a one year deal so that with a very good season he could increase his market back into the $14-18M a year level, which no one would have been willing to give him this year. If that's the case then the Cardinals really had no chance, given that the Giants wanted him back.

Lastly, I mentioned to MJ the whole dispute about the 34OLB prototypes and so-called system fits and he said that the Cardinals have made it clear that if ANY player can rush the QB, they will have a spot for him, regardless. It's good to know that heading into the draft.

Thanks for the info Mitch.

Your last paragraph has what I've been preaching for at least 3 years now. IMO the Cards philosophy is flawed on edge rushers in the draft for years now & needs to change. Instead of drafting the bigger OLB they need to concentrate more on speed & burst. They have been drafting bigger "all around" guys instead of sackmasters. Outside of Shaq that's been the Cards motto...bigger & slower is better. It's time!!!

Yes it would be maddening if they lost Freeney as well.

 

[Harry]

Sign him now!

 

[MrYeahBut]

It's always about the money but I don't see how the team can go wrong signing this guy for another year. I suppose he could just take his cash and disappear in games so as not to risk injury... I dunno, I sure liked watching him play last year.

 

[Buckybird]

Sign him now!

Yes please

 

[Shane]

For sure. But still not solving our problem or putting us where we need to be.

 

[Jetstream Green]

Problem is, is that Freeney did show he has some gas left in the tank... so he is going to wait and see if anyone wants him other than the Cardinals which is unsettling for us to know if we can get him or not, he wants one more sufficient pay day

 

[Mitch]

Problem is, is that Freeney did show he has some gas left in the tank... so he is going to wait and see if anyone wants him other than the Cardinals which is unsettling for us to know if we can get him or not, he wants one more sufficient pay day

Freeney deserves to paid this time. 8 sacks in 11 games, some of them game clinchers is proof that he "proved it" on his "prove it" deal. He should get at least $4M plus incentives this time around...and it might be well worth it to offer him upward of $5M, especially since Keim was unable to sign one of the top FA rushers and the market for rushers has already dwindled. Freeney is better than anyone else available at this point. Plus he can help teach the young players.

 

[az jam]

Good stuff, Mitch as usual. It would be nice to have Feeney under contract. They could work it so he would be with the team during OTAs and Training camp but not have to fully participate until the season really starts.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

Lastly, I mentioned to MJ the whole dispute about the 34OLB prototypes and so-called system fits and he said that the Cardinals have made it clear that if ANY player can rush the QB, they will have a spot for him, regardless. It's good to know that heading into the draft.

Nice knowledge nugget right there, thanks for posting.

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Lastly, I mentioned to MJ the whole dispute about the 34OLB prototypes and so-called system fits and he said that the Cardinals have made it clear that if ANY player can rush the QB, they will have a spot for him, regardless. It's good to know that heading into the draft.

We'll see and test that statement if Spence is on the board and whether or not they pass.

Still kind of upset they let Bud Dupree and Shane Ray get selected the 2 picks prior to them taking DJ. Especially Ray because it wouldn't have been an extreme price to move up 1 spot.

 

[GatorAZ]

Probably would've costed us David Johnson to move up based on the trade value chart.

 

[Shaggy]

Why would they wait is right. He only played in 11 games and had 8 sacks. Seems to still have gas in the tank and we are looking to get pass rushers. Why not keep the ones we got that we know will make a difference?

 

[GuernseyCard]

Do we 'know' that JPP was offered a 1-year deal?

 

[Azlen]

I could see the Cardinals perhaps making an agreement with him but letting him skip OTA's and even some of camp. Maybe he isn't in any hurry to sign because he doesn't want to do a full training camp.

 

[Mitch]

Do we 'know' that JPP was offered a 1-year deal?

Yes. MJ confirmed that last night. What no one seems to know yet is whether JPP's agent was insisting that all deals this year with JPP be one year deals so that he can elevate his status back into the elite money range in 2017. If that is the case, then the Cardinals were used by the agent for leverage. If it is not the case and the Cardinals were not willing to go beyond one year, we will find out this year whether that was a big mistake on their part.

 

[Mitch]

I could see the Cardinals perhaps making an agreement with him but letting him skip OTA's and even some of camp. Maybe he isn't in any hurry to sign because he doesn't want to do a full training camp.

The fact that Freeney spoke out last night, especially after the Cardinals whiffed on the edge rusher market, would indicate that he now has all the leverage and wants to cash in. Who can blame him? What's surprising to me is he sounded like the Cardinals hadn't even made him an initial offer. Sure, the Cardinals were hoping to land a big name FA, but keeping Freeney, imo, should have been a given from the get-go, regardless of who they sign. These days you need 3-4 DEs to rotate in order to keep the players from getting too gassed. While Markus Golden is one of those players----no one else on the Cardinals' roster even comes close to Dwight Freeney.

The thing is---when Freeney's agent looks at the Cardinals 2016 salaries---he will see that Cory Redding is set to make $4M coming off a 5 tackle, 0 sack season in 2015. He will see other players such as Campbell making $15.2M and Bethel making north of $5M and he can make a legitimate case that Freeney's value to the Cardinals has to be somewhere in the $6M to $8M range. There is no question about it.

 

[Snakester]

Sign him now and give him 5 mil to make him happy

 

[GuernseyCard]

The fact that Freeney spoke out last night, especially after the Cardinals whiffed on the edge rusher market, would indicate that he now has all the leverage and wants to cash in. Who can blame him? What's surprising to me is he sounded like the Cardinals hadn't even made him an initial offer. Sure, the Cardinals were hoping to land a big name FA, but keeping Freeney, imo, should have been a given from the get-go, regardless of who they sign. These days you need 3-4 DEs to rotate in order to keep the players from getting too gassed. While Markus Golden is one of those players----no one else on the Cardinals' roster even comes close to Dwight Freeney.

The thing is---when Freeney's agent looks at the Cardinals 2016 salaries---he will see that Cory Redding is set to make $4M coming off a 5 tackle, 0 sack season in 2015. He will see other players such as Campbell making $15.2M and Bethel making north of $5M and he can make a legitimate case that Freeney's value to the Cardinals has to be somewhere in the $6M to $8M range. There is no question about it.

His agent can make whatever case he likes but Keim has a figure and structure in mind and it's unlikely (imo) that Freeney will find a better offer.

 

[Jetstream Green]

His agent can make whatever case he likes but Keim has a figure and structure in mind and it's unlikely (imo) that Freeney will find a better offer.

I think he will find a better offer than what we present but he will not find a better offer from a contender and that is something the Cardinals can

 

[az jam]

I think he will find a better offer than what we present but he will not find a better offer from a contender and that is something the Cardinals can

Agree, I also think at his age that its not all about money.

 

[Shaggy]

He will sign with the Cards. I believe they have a hand shake type contract and won't sign him untill after OTAs. If he does get something better then he may go, but this is a good way for him to avoid OTAs.

 

[Cheesebeef]

His agent can make whatever case he likes but Keim has a figure and structure in mind and it's unlikely (imo) that Freeney will find a better offer.

and if he does, the majority of people will say he's over the hill and wasn't worth the money anyway.

 

[Cardiac]

Sign him now and give him 5 mil to make him happy

What makes you think that number will make him happy? Dudes with less sacks getting TONS of money. Sure age etc. comes into play but monopoly money is getting handed out this FA period so why would Freeney sign on the cheap?

 

[pinetopred]

What makes you think that number will make him happy? Dudes with less sacks getting TONS of money. Sure age etc. comes into play but monopoly money is getting handed out this FA period so why would Freeney sign on the cheap?

Because the monopoly money is being paid by the teams that still can't compete IMO. What team that has a legit shot has over spent this year?