Freeman, the former Buccaneers' first-round pick and starting quarterback as recently as the start of last season, was unsigned for the first few weeks of free agency. Not only was no team going to offer a starting job, it wasn't clear if he'd find a job, period. The Giants signed him on April 21. It was something, at least.
But on Friday, the Giants cut Freeman, putting the 26-year-old quarterback's future in doubt.
How far has Freeman dropped? The Giants cut him because they needed a roster spot after winning a waiver claim for offensive lineman Rogers Gaines, an undrafted free agent in 2013 who has never appeared in an NFL game and spent most of last season on Chicago's practice squad. And remember, the Giants were the only team willing to sign Freeman this offseason.
Freeman couldn't beat out Ryan Nassib and Curtis Painter for a roster spot with New York, or even get to training camp to compete against them. It has been a remarkable free fall for Freeman. Again, he was Tampa Bay's starter at the beginning of last season, less than nine months ago. After he was cut by the Buccaneers, the Vikings signed him to a prorated $3 million deal. MInnesota gave him one start, he was terrible, and the Vikings never gave him another chance. Freeman, a physically gifted player who in 2012 threw for 4,065 yards and 27 touchdowns, might need to wait for some injuries to get another NFL shot.
Every team at this point is fairly well set at quarterback. The starter (or two players to compete for that job) is in place, there's a backup plan, and most teams have a third quarterback to groom and maybe a fourth quarterback to serve as a camp arm. Nobody was sitting around waiting for a veteran like Freeman to get cut. Everyone has moved on. And before those plans were truly set, every team had a significant window to sign Freeman this offseason, and every team except the Giants totally passed.
Now, even the Giants have moved on. It's hard to figure out who else might give Freeman a contract.
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