New England Patriots: Dwight Freeney can replace Rob Ninkovich

The New England Patriots recently had Rob Ninkovich retire just after the start of training camp. Would veteran Dwight Freeney be a good replacement?

As some expected, New England Patriots veteran Rob Ninkovich recently announced his retirement. After missing the first two days of camp, many expected that it was because he was unsure if he had enough left in the tank to prepare for another long season.

Even though Ninkovich certainly had a good career with the Patriots, he wasn’t quite the same player last season. As primarily a situational pass-rusher, Ninkovich totaled four sacks in 12 games for the Patriots. While four sacks isn’t a lot in 12 games, it is still production that will need to be replaced.

This offseason, the Patriots did add some depth to their defensive line, knowing the end was likely near for Ninkovich. In the NFL Draft, the Patriots used their first pick on defensive end Derek Rivers. Also, they added defensive end Kony Ealy in a trade with the Carolina Panthers.

Adding the extra depth at defensive end this offseason certainly looks like a good move now for the Patriots. Although, they could use a veteran to replace the production of Ninkovich.

Even though most free agents have been signed at this point, there are still some talented veterans available. One of which is Dwight Freeney. Patriots fans know Freeney very well from his days with the Indianapolis Colts. When the Tom Brady/Peyton Manning rivalry was at its best, Freeney was one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL.

Now, Freeney is 37-years-old and has bounced around a little bit since leaving the Colts. Even though he isn’t in his prime anymore, Freeney still has a lot to offer. Last season with the Falcons, Freeney was able to reach the Super Bowl, as he was able to still get pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

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Even though he only totaled one sack in the regular season, he was a great mentor for Vic Beasley, who had a breakout season for the Falcons last year. Considering that the Patriots are pretty young at pass-rusher, adding Freeney would certainly make a lot of sense. Even though he is not the dominant player he once was, Freeney would be a solid replacement for Ninkovich in 2017.