Since the start of the NFL Free Agency period, Dwight Freeney and John Abraham have been fighting for team's attention. They have been forced to compete against each other for a spot on a team looking for a veteran. Both have similar stats to their resume. Both players are aging veterans. Both players will used in the exact same format. The market has not been kind to them. Each player has taken multiple visits to multiple teams, but has yet to be offered a formal contract. Now, the Tennessee Titans are considering one or the other, as both Freeney and Abraham pay visits to team facilities.
Freeney and Abraham are the two leaving defensive ends left in free agency. Both are sack specialists, but have seen a decline in production in recent years. As they get old, the interest from teams gets smaller. However, now that the draft is over, interest is heating back up. The Titans have been in the market for a veteran and will consider only one of the two players.
Both veterans will be used in the same situation, which makes getting signed even harder. They are no longer every-down players, instead likely to be used as a primary pass rusher, possibly only on third downs. Freeney and Abraham both rank on the all-time sack leaders list at 21 and 13 respectively. Freeney succeeds more in 2-3 offense, while Abraham has seen better numbers in a 4-3.
Freeney has realized the window for him to sign with a team is getting smaller. He recently said he would take a smaller contract in an effort to drive up interest. Recently, one of the reasons he has been unable to sign is due to contract demands. Freeney wanted somewhere around $8 million per season and is now requesting about half of that. Both players will only get a one-year deal at best to prove that they can still play at their age. Both in their 30's, a long-term contract is simply out of the question.
Tennessee only has room for one player, once again causing the two players to compete against each other. Both players are seeing team facilities, but only one will walk away with a deal. For the veteran left out, the options a slim on where they could land.
