Miami Dolphins

Freeman feeling more rested than rusty after year away from NFL

Published Apr. 3, 2015 3:42 p.m. ET

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After a year away from the game, quarterback Josh Freeman is ready to get his once-promising career back on track after signing a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins on Thursday.

A former first-round pick, 17th overall, of Tampa Bay in 2009, Freeman's career took a nosedive after falling out of favor with the Buccaneers and then-head coach Greg Schiano. He threw for 27 touchdowns and 4,065 yards with the Bucs in 2012, but was released during the 2013 season after three consecutive losses to start the year.

It was at this time that Freeman was forced to come to grips with the harsh reality of his deteriorating situation.

"Nothing's ever promised in the NFL. I've known that from day one," Freeman said via teleconference on Friday. "It's just a situation where, between a player and an organization where things didn't work out. I'm going to continue to try and get better every day and leave it all out in the classroom, leave it all out on the field, give it everything I've got to be the best player I can be."

After five seasons with Tampa Bay, Freeman was picked up by Minnesota and started one game before a concussion slammed shut his already small window with the Vikings. The following season, the New York Giants signed Freeman for six weeks before cutting him in favor of Curtis Painter and Ryan Nassib.

As his NFL prospects began to dwindle and his value at an all-time low, Freeman decided it was time step back and hit the reset button on his career.

"After Minnesota, (I) went to New York. After New York, it was kind of a dead period and teams felt like they had their rosters set," Freeman said of his journeyman experience. "I just continued to work, came back here to Kansas City, I continued to work. For me personally, I felt like, during the year, it was probably better to let things cool down. I had a pretty rocky year the previous year."

A year later, feeling rested and rejuvenated, Freeman is ready to embark on the next chapter of his up-and-down NFL journey.

"One of the benefits of not playing is not to have bumps and bruises that I might have had ... any things that are nagging me," said Freeman. "My body feels great. I would even go on to say I feel just as good or better when I was 22-23 years old. Physically, I feel I am right where I need to be and I will continue to try and improve on that."

As it stands now, Freeman will enter Miami as the team's third-string quarterback behind starter Ryan Tannehill and veteran backup Matt Moore, who signed a one-year extension on March 20. Last season, the Dolphins only carried two quarterbacks on their roster and Freeman knows that his spot is far from guaranteed.

"My goal is to come here and become the best player I can. Talking with the coaches yesterday, they are just all about everyone trying to get better at football, develop as a football player. That's my goal," said Freeman, who has thrown for 13,724 yards, 80 touchdowns and 67 interceptions in his career.

"As far as spots on the depth chart, that's up to the coaches. Obviously, Ryan (Tannehill's) had a lot of success. Matt (Moore's) had a successful career. I'm coming into it with a very humble mentality, a beginner's mentality. Coach (Bill) Lazor's offense is one that I'm not really that experienced in. At the same time, quarterback is what I've always done and I have a lot of confidence in myself as a quarterback. At the same time, you come into it with a beginner's mentality and just work my butt off."

At 27 years old, Freeman will likely never overcome his label as a first-round bust, but could use his time in Miami as a jumping-off point towards a career as a serviceable NFL backup. After a year away, he's is ready to try again.

"Not playing last year really left me hungry and wanting to get back in the swing of things," said Freeman. "I've always wanted to play football and I still want to play football as long as I can until the wheels fall off."

You can follow Jameson Olive on Twitter @JamesonCoop or email him at JamesonOlive@gmail.com.

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