NFL Rumors: Titans and 3 Teams Who Should Take Dwight Freeney Trade Bait

The Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins all need to try to trade for Colts star defensive end Dwight Freeney.

The Colts are obviously trying to start over with their recent cuts of big names such as Joseph Addai, Gary Brackett and Dallas Clark.

Oh, and they let go of some quarterback named Peyton Manning.

They've got a new coach, a new general manager and they are cleaning the house and going in a new direction. It seems as if nobody is safe over in Indianapolis right now. According to rumors via ESPN and Adam Schefter, that includes Freeney:

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The Indianapolis Colts are starting over. Completely.

The Colts are fielding telephone calls from teams interested in trading for perennial Pro Bowl defensive end Dwight Freeney, league sources told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

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If it seems absurd for the Colts to get rid of yet another star player, the report states that it's for salary cap reasons:

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The Colts do not necessarily want to part ways with Freeney, but they need the salary-cap space and Freeney has a $19 million cap number this season and is unwilling to restructure his contract, sources told Schefter. The Colts are now open to trading Freeney but will do it only for what they consider the right price.

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So if Freeney is indeed on the table, who should take the bait?

Tennessee Titans

There's no official word yet, but ESPN AFC South blogger Paul Kuharsky is suggesting the Titans make a strong push for him.

His reasoning is that the Titans can part ways with their No. 20 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft, and that they would be getting better value in Freeney than they would with their draft pick. The team has a huge need for a pass rusher, and at that point in the draft the big names like Nick Perry, Melvin Ingram and maybe even Quinton Coples will be off the board.

Even if one of those pass rushers is available, there are no guarantees with them. In Freeney you get a defensive end with 102.5 career sacks and plenty of gas left in the tank.

The Titans should be very interested in this potential opportunity.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills are honestly a few pieces away from being a very good team in the AFC, and Freeney may be one of those pieces that can put them over the top.

He makes perfect sense for their defensive scheme—moving back to a 4-3—and he could literally have a career year playing next to dominant defensive tackle Marcel Dareus.

The Bills would have to give up a lot—I'm assuming their No. 10 pick in the first round will look good for the rebuilding Colts—but if they get Freeney they would have a very dangerous defense.

If they draft well in the later rounds and are able to snag Freeney, the Bills will be a terror in the AFC.

Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins should try their luck in the Freeney sweepstakes, especially if they can bring in Manning via free agency.

The Dolphins are apparently going to switch the defense to a 4-3 defense. With the defense already being pretty good, the 'Phins can put themselves over the top with Freeney.

Not only would Manning have a very comfortable and familiar face around the locker room, but this trade would show him that the Dolphins are committed to making a Super Bowl push with him under center.

The Dolphins also have some very nice trade bait of their own with the No. 8 overall pick in the draft.

If the Dolphins can make this happen and bring in a quarterback, they will be the hottest story in the NFL for the first time in a very long time.