Linebacker Jerrell Freeman sheds light on contract situation

The Indianapolis Colts have a number of player to re-sign this offseason, but the most important one might just be linebacker Jerrell Freeman.

Jerrell Freeman has gotten better every season he’s been in the NFL. His professional career started in the Canadian Football League before GM Ryan Grigson brought him to Indianapolis in 2012. He initially signed a three year deal with the team, and was brought back in 2015 on a restricted tender.

Given the production he’s had, Freeman has been a very underpaid linebacker. But given that 2015 was his best season in the league, it won’t make re-signing him any easier.

Speaking with SiriusXM NFL Radio, Freeman shed some thoughts on his contract situation with the Colts.

That certainly doesn’t sound like the Colts have had any productive talks with Freeman during the offseason. There hasn’t been any indication that the two sides are negotiating and last year, he clearly wasn’t happy with the one-year tender.

Freeman hired Drew Rosenhaus as his agent a few weeks ago, and that might be a sign that he’s looking for a big money contract.

Freeman is a priority for the Colts who are underskilled at inside linebacker without him as well as thin at the position. While D’Qwell Jackson might be the kind of throwback linebacker that coach Chuck Pagano likes, he isn’t effective in today’s pass happy NFL, but Freeman is.

Freeman helped his case with a big “pay me” game to close out the season against the Titans. He finished the game with two sacks and an interception return for a touchdown. He brought up the game in this interview too.

The Colts should be looking to bring back Freeman, but it looks like he’s going to test the free agency waters right now.