Outside linebacker Dwight Freeney will shoot for a 15th season in the NFL, as he is expected to sign a one-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The longtime Indianapolis Colts defensive end has found new life as a linebacker over the past three seasons, compiling 12 sacks overall with the San Diego Chargers and Arizona Cardinals.
Dwight Freeney will sign with the Falcons
Freeney is still a capable pass rusher despite 14 seasons in the NFL already.
Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images
The Falcons confirmed their plans to sign Freeney via the team’s Twitter account.
— Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) August 2, 2016
Freeney became a free agent at the start of the league year, but seemed like he was content with taking his time deciding where to go for the 2016 season. At 36 years old, Freeney doesn’t have much time left in the NFL, but as a seven-time Pro Bowler who was more productive than anybody predicted he could be a season ago, he knew he had something to offer going forward.
His best season came in 2004 when he had 16 sacks with the Colts. Prior to last season with the Cardinals, he had just 3.5 sacks with the Chargers and last broke double digit sacks in 2010. Nobody expected him to put up eight sacks with the Cardinals, especially given he only played in 11 games with them.
Expecting that kind of production again shouldn't be a given, but Freeney has 119.5 sacks, 47 forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and 319 tackles in 194 career games. He's got a Super Bowl ring, is a seven-time Pro Bowler and a four-time All-Pro player. He was always going to wind up signing with a team this season barring retirement.
Freeney said he wanted to play for a team that wins, and that doesn’t describe the Atlanta Falcons over the past few seasons. In 2015, head coach Dan Quinn’s first year at the helm, the Falcons finished with an 8-8 record after a strong 6-1 start to the season. The team’s struggles are due in part to an inability to consistently pressure opposing quarterbacks, so the Freeney acquisition fills a legitimate need for Atlanta.
One of the things that stood out about Freeney in All or Nothing, the Amazon series featuring the Arizona Cardinals, was his comprehensive understanding of the game. Breaking down film in preparation for a matchup with the Green Bay Packers, Freeney was able to identify the precise weaknesses he could exploit against Packers left tackle Don Barclay.
“Try to make the plays before the plays happen,” Freeney said. “It’s chess. It ain’t checkers.”
Freeney’s preparation and understanding of how to dominate his matchup against Barclay yielded three sacks, and the Cardinals won that game 38-8.
The Falcons have a number of young players they will call upon to rush the passer this season, like second-year linebacker Vic Beasley and rookie backer De'Vondre Campbell, and Freeney will be in a unique position to not only contribute on the field, but also to mentor these players and impart some of his vast understanding of the game.
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