[Senator Clay Davis]

Bill Barnwell of Grantland pretty much nails Freeman with his analysis: In short, signing Josh Freeman right now is no different than drafting a rookie. All you're banking on is potential and not results. And he deserves to be benched but Glennon won't do much.

In terms of pro-football-reference.com's quarterback index statistics, which compare a player's stats to the league average after adjusting for era, Freeman's 2010 campaign was above-average in every facet of the game, peaking with an impressive interception index (123) and passer rating index (113). It's difficult to build an era-independent model that finds similar players to Freeman, but there are two players I was able to find who had similarly impressive second seasons before failing to really improve on their prior performance and/or hold on to their starting job.

The first is near and dear to the boss's heart: Tony Eason. In 1984, his second year in the league and his first year as the full-time starter (after starting four games as a rookie), Eason completed 60.1 percent of his passes, averaged 7.5 yards per attempt, and threw 23 touchdowns against eight picks. Like Freeman, his numbers were above-average or better just about across the board. Eason had a disappointing follow-up season in 1985, as his interception rate spiked and he missed time with a separated shoulder. The Patriots made it to the Super Bowl that year, with Eason playing efficiently during the playoffs, but he was benched halfway through the Super Bowl after starting 0-for-6 against the Bears. Eason was never a regular starter again.

The more recent example would be Brian Griese, who stepped into the Denver lineup as a replacement for John Elway and produced impressive numbers in his second season as a starter (but third year in the league), leading the league in passer rating while throwing 19 touchdowns against just four picks. Those numbers came across 10 games, and after that season, Griese was never as effective. His interception rate spiked the following year and never dropped, and three years after his breakout campaign, he was allowed to leave Denver to sign with Miami. He ambled on as a borderline starter for a few more seasons, never reaching the heights of his breakout year.

It seems likely now that Freeman is the next quarterback to follow in those players' footsteps. He'll likely get a chance to compete for a starting job elsewhere, since he doesn't turn 26 until January and has nearly 2,000 pro passes under his belt, but there's no steady employment or long-term deal awaiting Freeman.

http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-tr...f-josh-freeman