Dwight Freeney

[cstjohn17]

Imagine a bizzaro world or parallel universe, picture this scenario.

The Pats crush the Colts in the AFC championship and then lay the beat down on the Cowboys (Bledsoe 11 INTs) for their 4th Superbowl and the merely strange becomes surreal.

What if the Pats went after the top free agent available?

Dwight Freeney is a FA after this year and I think he would look great as an outside LB in our system. BB could turn him into the next LT (who he coached in his prime).

I know he is shorter than a typical OLB in our scheme but he is athletic and can run a 4.4 forty. Instantly we would have a all time defensive line plus it would render Indy's defense useless.

Even if he is franchised the Pats could offer up their two first round picks next year.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Run defense.

 

[Lbaron]

While I like where you're going with this...
Think about the NFL's obsession with 6-1 to 6-5 250-275 lbs DE pass rushers with athletic ability who look great in a 3 second sportscenter moment totally embarassing a tackle and sacking the QB

Freeney is prob going to get the biggest contract for a DE has ever seen
Can you imagine what Snyder would give him???

 

[BelichickFan]

Even if he is franchised the Pats could offer up their two first round picks next year.

Two #1s for the right to sign a guy to a huge contract. No thank you.

 

[TeamPats]

Freeney doesn't work in a 3-4, and the Pats aren't designed in a 4-3. Plus again ... Run Defense

 

[TomBrady'sGoat]

1) the colts will franchise him
2) sacks are overvalued
3) as previously mentioned, run defense. the guy goes after the quarterback on every single play

there's probably more, those 3 are just the one's that immediately occurred to me

 

[T-ShirtDynasty]

Run defense.

In his defense though, how much of that weakness against the run is the scheme he's in? His basic gig, day in and day out, is rush the passer and oh by the way, try to defend the run on the way by. If he were to be schooled in the ways of the Belichick OLB, and taught to read and react, and only unleash his spinning human missle routine in the proper situations, could he do it? I'm not sure he's got the meat to consistently set the edge, but it's fun to waste time thinking about.

But that's what we're doing... wasting time thinking about it, because as BF says, "No Thank you". It would take a huge contract, coupled with the fact that there's no way he'd pick it up overnight. Would take a while to make the transition, if he could even do it.

In addition, he really doesn't have the height to handle the elephant position like Willie did.... gotta get those big mits up into the passing lane.

 

[dryheat44]

Imagine a bizzaro world or parallel universe, picture this scenario.

The Pats crush the Colts in the AFC championship and then lay the beat down on the Cowboys (Bledsoe 11 INTs) for their 4th Superbowl and the merely strange becomes surreal.

What if the Pats went after the top free agent available?

Dwight Freeney is a FA after this year and I think he would look great as an outside LB in our system. BB could turn him into the next LT (who he coached in his prime).

I know he is shorter than a typical OLB in our scheme but he is athletic and can run a 4.4 forty. Instantly we would have a all time defensive line plus it would render Indy's defense useless.

Even if he is franchised the Pats could offer up their two first round picks next year.

Can't work. If the Cowboys are playing in the Super Bowl, it's going to be behind Romo.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

In his defense though, how much of that weakness against the run is the scheme he's in? His basic gig, day in and day out, is rush the passer and oh by the way, try to defend the run on the way by. If he were to be schooled in the ways of the Belichick OLB, and taught to read and react, and only unleash his spinning human missle routine in the proper situations, could he do it? I'm not sure he's got the meat to consistently set the edge, but it's fun to waste time thinking about.

But that's what we're doing... wasting time thinking about it, because as BF says, "No Thank you". It would take a huge contract, coupled with the fact that there's no way he'd pick it up overnight. Would take a while to make the transition, if he could even do it.

In addition, he really doesn't have the height to handle the elephant position like Willie did.... gotta get those big mits up into the passing lane.

Monty Beisel

 

[JoeSixPat]

Recent reports out of Indi have them offering him a long term deal sometime very soon. He was very optimistic something would get done and seemed very upbeat about continuing his career in Indy.

Freeney though is one of those guys who you "hate to love" (as opposed to love to hate) as regardless of what jersey he wears you just have to appreciate his football talent.

I'm sure we'd all love to have him on our team - kindof like Jason Taylor from Miami

 

[arrellbee]

I don't know how some players get so incredibly over-hyped, but Freeney is right up there at the top of the list.

In the last playoff game with the Pats, for example, the clueless announcers kept talking about how the Patriots were double teaming him the whole game except for just TWO plays. Total myth. Matt Light, certainly a good but not great OT, played him one-on-one the whole game and never once let Freeney thru to Brady or even get a SNIFF on any runs. Ironically, they did double team him exactly twice. On one, Andruzzi had the double team and let Freeney slip inside of him for a sack or a signicant pressure. The other time, the scheme was for a TE to come across in motion and use a double TE block on Freeney. That didn't work so hot. That was the only other time he got a sack or pressure - I don't recall at the moment which play was which.

The answer is probably that media pundits are looking only at the surface and if a player gets the occasional highlight play or goes nuts on poor teams, that the myth builds, one commentator at a time.

Freeney certainly makes his reputation on the weak teams or weak left OTs and especially when teams are in the hole and forced to pass on most downs (which, to Freeney's good fortune, happens a lot with the Colts).

But when it comes to the BIG games, like the playoff with the Patriots, Freeney disappears. But this appears to be the whole underlying aspect of the Colts - do well when the pressure is not on but show their fundamental weakness when it counts.

For example. with Freeney and big games, let's look at 2005. In three games against teams who would end up going to the playoffs (NE, SEA, and CIN) Freeney had 0 tackles, 0 sacks, and 0 forced fumbles. In the second game with JAC he also had a complete goosegg. A true top-notch player makes significant contributions in games against top opponents. In the two playoff games (2004-NE and 2005-PIT) Freeney had 1 tackle and 1 sack in each game. Maybe some folks define that as top production for a DE in a 4-3 system, but I don't think I do - ESPECIALLY in playoff games.

p.s. No way the Patriots would even remotely consider Fraud Freeney even if they switched to a 4-3.

p.p.s.s. I REALLY hope that Indy signs Freeney to a BIG contract. That will preserve a critical weakness PLUS take money away from getting any other decent defensive players. Great for the Pats in case of any playoffs !!