John Abraham is in no position to be picky. The veteran defensive end is one of the last remaining marquee players on the free agent market and the longer he sits without a contract, the less likely he is to play in the 2013 season. At his age, very few teams are calling his number and his high salary demands are certainly not helping his case.
Abraham has taken several visits to teams during the free agent period and yet, has left without a contract each time. Most teams are reportedly having a bit of sticker shock when it comes to Abraham's salary demands. During a public appearance on a radio show, Abraham said he wanted $12 million per year on a multi-year contract from a team. He said at minimum, he would take around $5 million, but was sticking to his desire to get a multi-year deal.
This has soured multiple teams' opinion on him. Looking at the trend in free agency, a veteran of his age will only get a one-year deal. The Denver Broncos were very high on Abraham, but could not handle his desired contract. Instead, they signed Shaun Phillips to a one-year deal. Phillips is just 32, compared to Abraham who is 35. Even he was not able to get a multi-year deal. Dwight Freeney signed a two-year deal with San Diego, but only because Melvin Ingram got injured on the first day of OTAs.
With the Broncos completely out of the picture, the only team left that might consider signing Abraham is Tennessee. They have brought the veteran in for multiple visits, but have not signed him to anything. They are likely waiting for Abraham to give in and lower his asking price. The longer they hold out, the more desperate Abraham will get.
He is in the same situation with the New England Patriots. The team was very high on the idea of signing a veteran pass rusher. Abraham would likely not be an every down player, but more of a situational guy meant to pressure the quarterback on third-down plays. If Abraham can accept that his role with a team might weaken, then he could end up in the AFC next season.
If Abraham is going to play next season, he must realize that at his age, he needs to take whatever is offered to him. Teams of closing their doors on him and a one-year deal might be the best he can do.
