Colts make Dwight Freeney highest-paid defender in NFL history

Colts certainly had to sign him. Contract is worth $72 million over six years.

I doubt he'll have any seasons approaching 16 sacks again with all the double-teams, but he changes what an offense can and will do.

Just strange to see the Colts put some money into the defense.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2935483

 

Talk about overpaid...good gawd. An undersized DE who can do one thing very well (sack) and barely registered any last season (5.5). I know he commands double teams, but still. From what I've seen from him, he's extremely mediocre (if that) against the run. Highest paid defensive player in NFL history? No way.

 

Highest paid player, as with most standouts, is a lot of right place, right time. Colts would've really been hamstrung if they had to pay Freeney the one-year contract under the franchise tag. It was in both parties' interest to get a deal done.

Is Freeney the best defensive player in the NFL? Probably not. But he is, or is close to, the best pure pass rusher. It's the glamour position on any defense, and gets more money because of the high profile.

He's OK as a run-stopper, certainly not great. But he really is a player whom offenses have to gameplan around.

He'll get ripped this season if he doesn't have a huge sack total, and he probably won't. But he's a game-changer, even if it doesn't show up in statistics.

 

I'm stunned.

 

So am I. You posted a complete, correctly spelled and punctuated sentence.

 

It's the NFL. He only gets the guaranteed money not all $72 million. That's the best thing about giving players like Freeney a deal like this. If he sucks in four years you cut his ass and cut your losses. Can't do that in any other sport. Glorious!!!