BOCA RATON, Fla. – Ryan Grigson became Indianapolis Colts general manager in early January 2012. Less than a week after taking the job, he signed linebacker Jerrell Freeman to a contract bringing Freeman into the NFL from the Canadian Football League.
This offseason he had to watch Freeman sign another contract, this time with the Bears for $12 million over three seasons, including $6 million guaranteed, a deal that the Colts weren’t in a position to match and had to watch a four-year starter leave town (although the Colts will see him whenever their game with the Bears appears on the 2016 schedule).
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It wasn’t a player the Colts liked losing.
“He’s a three-down linebacker, which you don’t really see that often anymore,” Grigson told CSNChicago.com during this week’s NFL owners meetings. “He can cover and he’s a smart player, really understands defenses. He’ll be a good fit with [inside linebacker Danny Trevathan] in that system. Good player.
“He can do it all.”