Dwight Freeney: Latest News, Rumors and Speculation on Free-Agent LB

Linebacker Dwight Freeney is 36 years old and has been in the league since 2002, but the future Hall of Famer apparently isn’t ready to hang up the cleats and retire after a productive 2015 campaign.

Continue for updates.

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Freeney Comments on Potential Return to Cardinals

Thursday, March 10

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Freeney Continues to Produce Despite Age

Freeney has been one of the best defenders in the league for the past 14 seasons and has seven Pro Bowls and three appearances on the first-team All-Pro on his resume. What’s more, he was a force for the Cardinals last season and turned in his highest sack total since 2011:

Season	Team	Games	Sacks
2002	Indianapolis Colts	16	13
2003	Indianapolis Colts	15	11
2004	Indianapolis Colts	16	16
2005	Indianapolis Colts	16	11
2006	Indianapolis Colts	16	5.5
2007	Indianapolis Colts	9	3.5
2008	Indianapolis Colts	15	10.5
2009	Indianapolis Colts	14	13.5
2010	Indianapolis Colts	16	10
2011	Indianapolis Colts	16	8.5
2012	Indianapolis Colts	14	5
2013	San Diego Chargers	4	0.5
2014	San Diego Chargers	16	3.5
2015	Arizona Cardinals	11	8

Freeney may be 36 years old, but it is hard to ignore that career-long production, especially after a bounce-back performance like the one he had last season. Sam Monson for ESPN.com called Freeney a top-10 sleeper free agent for the offseason after such a solid showing for the NFC West champion Cardinals.

Adam Green of ArizonaSports.com broke down the linebacker’s impact in such a short time for the Cardinals:

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As the story goes, Freeney signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals in mid-October, and went on to record a team-leading eight sacks to go along with eight QB pressures and seven QB hits in 11 games with the team. He added another sack, four QB pressures and one QB hit in two playoff games.

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The Cardinals clinched a playoff berth with a 23-20 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Dec. 10 when Freeney sacked quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and forced a fumble in the closing moments. The NFL shared the crucial play: 

Even with Freeney, Arizona ranked a disappointing 20th in the league in total sacks in 2015. It finished 13-3, won the division and reached the NFC Championship Game, where it eventually lost to the Carolina Panthers, 49-15, but could have been even better with more pressure on opposing signal-callers.

As a result, Kent Somers of AZCentral.com listed pass-rusher as one of the team’s greatest needs heading into the offseason and said the Cardinals “could have been in dire straights if they had not signed [Freeney] (eight sacks) after five games.”

Somers also pointed to how difficult it is to find outside rushers, which is another reason the Cardinals and their fans should be thrilled Freeney apparently wants to remain with the team. Bringing him back would provide more continuity on that side of the ball and help address something the team needs to improve in 2016. 

Arizona’s defense was impressive in 2015 and finished fifth in the league in total yards allowed and seventh in points allowed per game. However, that defense would be even more effective moving forward if it developed a more consistent pass rush, and having Freeney for an entire season would help Arizona do just that.