Asante Samuel may not be the only well-paid defensive star dealt during draft week.
SI.com's Peter King reports that the Colts would "love to get a good pick" for pass rusher Dwight Freeney. The news isn't a shock because the Colts are transitioning to a 3-4 defense and Freeney doesn't necessarily fit as a quasi-outside linebacker.Â
Freeney is more valuable than Samuel, but the Colts may find it difficult to get anything more more than a mid-to-late round pick for him. The issue remains Freeney's contract. He is due more than $14 million in 2012, the final year of his contract.
Unlike Samuel, we suspect Freeney is not willing to take a dramatic pay cut unless he received some serious long-term money. The Colts are stuck between a rock and a hard place. It's difficult to imagine Freeney having a future with the team beyond 2012. Its not worth it for a rebuilding team to pay him that much money, but the organization would take a major public relations hit if they dealt one of the best players in franchise history for a third-day draft pick.
King points out that Freeney did the recording for Colts season ticket invoices. Trading him now could depress an already reeling fan base.
