Lost in the shuffle this year was the status of linebacker Dwight Freeney. The 11-year veteran has made it seven Pro Bowls, is a three-time first-team All Pro and is the all-time franchise leader in sacks. There should be more talk about a player with those credentials possibly leaving the organization that drafted him No. 11 overall in 2002. "It would be great to finish off my career as an Indianapolis Colt," Freeney told NFL.com's Austin Knoblauch on Thursday. "I've been there my whole career, and I don't know anything different. ... Ideally, it would be great to stay there. But it is a business, so we'll see. "Right now, I'm just thinking about Indianapolis until they tell me otherwise." Freeney never quite adjusted to being a 3-4 linebacker after playing his first 10 years as a 4-3 defensive end, managing just five sacks which was a career-low outside of 3.5 sacks in 2007 when he played just nine games. A pass-rushing linebacker is high on the list of Colts' needs this offseason and Robert Mathis made the transition much better. Source: NFL.com
I know he did not do as well this past year. In his defense, he was fighting a high ankle sprain most of the year, and he does draw a lot of attention, which leaves other guys open to make a play. I don't see him coming back, though, without taking a huge pay cut.
