With a month to go before the Feb. 15 free-agency deadline, Freeman has apparently been suitably enticed by overtures from the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts.
"Well you've been good to me RIDERNATION, but i'll b in Colts blue next year!!!'' Freeman wrote on Twitter on Monday.
The message, which arrived at 8:45 p.m., Saskatchewan time, was quickly retweeted to all corners of the Rider Nation.
Chagrined parties within that domain were left to lament the departure of the Saskatchewan Roughriders' lone Canadian Football League all-star from 2011 - someone who was the West Division's nominee for defensive player-of-the-year honours.
Freeman's disclosure of his NFL opportunity was anything but surprising. It wasn't a matter of whether Freeman was leaving Saskatchewan. The only relevant questions were "where?'' and "when?''
Brendan Taman conceded as much three weeks ago. In conversation with Ian Hamilton of the Leader-Post, Taman - the Roughriders' general manager - said that "once the NFL is on the radar, it's pretty tough to avoid it.''
Given the interest in Freeman south of the border, his departure was inevitable. Taman could have sweetened his contract offer to the point of profligacy, and it would not have mattered one iota. Freeman would have been foolish to forego an NFL opportunity - especially at 25, when his marketability has never been higher.
Of course, this is all based on one reverberative tweet. Verification has yet to be received from the Colts or the Roughriders. As is prudent, Taman and head coach Corey Chamblin are not commenting on Freeman's situation until they see the documentation.
But Taman, for one, has seen it all before.
Early in 2010 - shortly before Taman succeeded Eric Tillman as the Roughriders' GM - defensive end John Chick signed with (guess who?) Indianapolis. Chick's bargaining power had been bolstered by the fact that he was named the league's top defensive player in 2009.
The dreaded CFL Player Awards Curse struck the Riders again last year at this time, when slotback Andy Fantuz signed with the Chicago Bears. Fantuz was decorated as the CFL's top Canadian in 2010.
And now, Freeman - who was the runner-up to Winnipeg Blue Bombers defensive back Jovon Johnson when the awards were presented last November - is atwitter about what appears to be the consummation of a deal with Indianapolis.
What is it about first-year Roughriders coaches and notable departures?
Ken Miller had barely assumed the head-coaching reins in 2008 when quarterback Kerry Joseph, who was named the league's most outstanding player during the Grey Cup championship season of 2007, was dealt to the Toronto Argonauts.
Greg Marshall, who briefly succeeded Miller as Saskatchewan's field boss in 2011, discovered soon after being hired that Fantuz was off to the NFL.
One of Chamblin's "welcome to Saskatchewan'' presents is confirmation that Freeman is indeed destined for the NFL. His departure, as inevitable as it was, creates a cavernous hole on a Roughriders defence that was hardly formidable with him as part of the equation.
With Freeman, Barrin Simpson (released) and Sean Lucas (retired) out of the picture, the Roughriders will have a revamped linebacking corps in 2012. As a nightmarish 2011 season dragged on, the team's brain trust became acutely aware that Simpson and Lucas would have to be replaced, so the only glaring void is created by the fact that Freeman will soon be mingling with the likes of Peyton Manning.
Taman, who is as realistic and pragmatic as they come, knew there would be such a day. The onus is now on Taman and director of player personnel Craig Smith to uncover somebody, somewhere, who is a reasonable facsimile of Freeman.
Is Kye Stewart the answer? Is there a sleeper in an unremarkable pool of soonto-be free-agent linebackers? Is there a negotiation-list player who can make an immediate impact?
Uh, good luck ... Once the Freeman situation ceases to become a front-of-mind issue, the focus on Fantuz will be intensified. The never-ending Fantuz Watch will attract even more attention. (Please restrain your excitement.)
With Freeman gone, it is reasonable to expect that Taman will face additional pressure to resolve the lingering Fantuz issue in a manner that is satisfactory to the fans. That sentiment is understandable, given that Roughriders loyalists are salivating at the notion of a big-name signing.
But will their appetites be satisfied? Well ...
At last word, negotiations between Fantuz and the Roughriders were moving along at a glacial pace. Taman said last week that he expects Fantuz to test free agency - unless he, too, ends up signing with an NFL team.
If Fantuz does enter the CFL's open market, it is highly conceivable that he will end up elsewhere. The money earmarked for him by Saskatchewan will quickly be spent on another premier player.
And who knows? That player may very well bolster a Riders defence that took a hit on Monday evening.
rvanstone@leaderpost.com
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