Dwight Freeney's always been undersized at 6'1", 268 pounds, and with Father Time catching up to him, the former All-Pro may need to move off the defensive line to avoid being swallowed up by bigger, younger, stronger players.
Luckily for Freeney, his game never revolved around being the biggest or strongest. His pure speed and agility should play well as a rush linebacker or as a situational rush specialist at defensive end.
As mentioned in the previous slide, creating more pressure on the quarterback remains an area of need for New England, especially if some of its younger players don't progress to expectations.
Like Idonije, Freeney brings proven veteran production in an area of need and could even be the Patriots' best pass-rusher in the right situation. With 107.5 sacks and 43 forced fumbles on his resume, Freeney clearly has a penchant for the kind of momentum-shifting plays the Patriots defense has lacked in recent years.
Freeney will be highly motivated, since another productive season or another Super Bowl title would do wonders for his Hall of Fame candidacy. He's no guarantee given his advanced age (33 years old), but if he can adjust to a situational role, he could maximize his production and thrive as a specialist a la Antwan Barnes of the New York Jets.
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