I am baffled not only by the Vikings signing Freeman, but by how much they paid him.
Ponder is definitely not the answer, but I don't understand why Minnesota thinks Freeman is better than Cassel.
Freeman will collect more than $6 million to not play for Tampa Bay in addition to the $2+ million he was paid for four games there, and now gets $3 million from the Vikings. In all he will make over $11 million in salary in 2013, which does not include the pro-rated portion of his original signing bonus with the Bucs.
Freeman simply isn't worth $3 million for 12 games. The 1-3 Vikings are not going to the playoffs, because their defense (31 points per game) is awful. They'd be better off rolling that money over to next year's cap and use it then. On top of that Freeman is a free agent at the end of the year; if I'm wrong and he does well he could depart for the highest bidder; if he continues to be erratic why re-sign him?
Cassel just went 16/25 with 2 TD and no picks for the Vikings only win, as the team scored more points (34) than they had in any of their three losses. Freeman is 43/94, 2 TD/3 INT and 0-3 with much better receivers.
For his career Cassel has a 2.8% INT percentage; Freeman is 3.4%.
For his career Cassel has thrown 84 TD to 57 INT (1.47:1); Freeman has thrown 80 TD and 66 INT (1.21:1). Toss out the 2010 season when countless should-be picks were dropped by defenders, and Freeman's number plummet to 55 TD and 60 INT and an unacceptable ratio of less than 1:1.
The signing makes no sense to me. The one good season was an anomaly; his decision making is poor; he tends to stare down receivers and force the ball, rather than throwing it away or going to his next option; he doesn't slide in the pocket and does not respond well to pressure.
