Devonta Freeman odds update: Seahawks are out and Buccaneers might be too
The potential list of suitors for free-agent running back Devonta Freeman is dwindling.
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The Seattle Seahawks reportedly offered former Atlanta Falcons two-time Pro Bowl running back Devonta Freeman the chance to make around $4 million this season, but for some baffling reason (especially in a pandemic) Freeman turned it down. The guy has not played a full 16 games since 2006 and is 28 years old, and he turned down $4 million? Freeman won't get a second offer from Seattle as it signed Carlos Hyde instead.
Freeman continues to wallow on the free-agent market and another team may no longer interested, either: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Coach Bruce Arians is on record that the Bucs need a pass-catching back, and Freeman can definitely do that. He had 59 receptions last year and a career-high 73 in 2015.
However, that Freeman turned down so much money from the Seahawks has scared away the Bucs – at least for now. "If his price tag was reasonable... He's asking for a lot of money and we don't have a lot of money [cap]," Arians said on a media call this week about Freeman.
According to overthecap.com, the Bucs have less than $5 million in cap space. They also drafted two running backs in April to add to starter Ronald Jones: Ke'Shawn Vaughn (third round) and Raymond Calais (seventh). If Freeman wants to win a Super Bowl ring, the Bucs are likely his best shot for 2020 if he drastically lowers his price.
Perhaps he comes to his senses – plus Freeman can stick it to the Falcons twice this season in the NFC South. He did respond on Twitter to Arians' quote by writing that "we can't negotiate through the media" and that the team should contact him directly. Freeman also claimed a "number of teams" are interested in him.
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The Philadelphia Eagles continue to be mentioned regarding Freeman, but they are being even more frugal than the Bucs despite a lot more salary-cap space. Philly may choose to bring back LeSean McCoy on the cheap to back up Miles Sanders. The Eagles also were in on Hyde.
Other than Tampa Bay, Tennessee might be Freeman's best fit. The Titans are looking to lighten the workload a bit on reigning NFL rushing leader Derrick Henry, who also led the league with 303 carries last year. His backup is third-round rookie Darrynton Evans. Neither is a good receiver out of the backfield.
The Arizona Cardinals are another option as Freeman could serve as a nice change-of-pace to Kenyan Drake. The Cards dumped fellow tailback David Johnson in the DeAndre Hopkins trade this offseason. Carolina could use depth behind do-it-all Christian McCaffrey.
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