Osi Umenyiora added some more context to the pass-rusher market Thursday when he officially signed a two-year deal with the Atlanta Falcons.
Dwight Freeney took note. NFL.com's Ian Rapoport said Thursday on "NFL Total Access" that Freeney wants more than Umenyiora's $8.5 million base earnings. And as NFL Network's Michelle Beisner reported earlier, Freeney's willing to wait to get the deal he wants.
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The Denver Broncos have been the team most closely linked to Freeney. The veteran outside linebacker also has spotlighted the Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins as potential destinations. The Dolphins ($15.7 million) have the most salary-cap space to play with, followed by the Broncos ($8.8M) and Lions ($7.3M).
Rapoport says Freeney is open to waiting until after the draft when teams can reassess roster needs. Another possible window is training camp, when teams must react to injuries.
It's an interesting strategy by Freeney, but it's a gamble he must feel comfortable taking.
Follow Dan Hanzus on Twitter @DanHanzus.