This morning, while trying to decide which San Diego Chargers topic to write about, I stumbled upon this tweet:
Filed to ESPN: Colts are fielding telephone calls from teams interested in trading for perennial Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2012
Well, the Chargers are in the market for a pass-rusher and the free agent pool of pass-rushers isn't vast. As a matter of fact, it's Mario Williams and......*crickets*.....John Abraham? The Indianapolis Colts are in rebuilding mode and are looking for draft picks in return, which would also take about $14 million off of their cap for 2012.
If the Chargers lose out on the Mario Williams Sweepstakes, and were going to use a draft pick on a pass-rusher anyway, it would make sense to make a call over to the Colts to see what it would take to land Freeney. Seeing as how he only has one year left on his deal, I can't imagine them asking for a pick higher than a 3rd rounder.
This is Bob Sanders all over again. In my arrogant opinion, trading for Freeney and having him play the final year of his contract in San Diego would be worth a 4th round draft pick (this year) and maybe even a 3rd rounder (next year). The risk you're taking is not being able to re-sign him, which San Diego might not want to do anyway because it would make their "pass-rusher" group awfully old.
PLAYOFFS OR BUST