The Colts announced that they have released quarterback Josh Freeman. The news comes as a surprise since he was expected to serve as a backup to Andrew Luck in 2016.
In late February, the Colts decided that they would not retain veteran backup Matt Hasselbeck. With the 40-year-old out of the picture, Freeman was seemingly left as the de facto No. 2 quarterback in Indianapolis. As it turns out, the team will explore other options as they seek out an understudy for their franchise quarterback.
Freeman was signed by the Colts as a free agent just before the New Year. With Luck banged up, Freeman started in the season finale against the Titans and completed 15-of-28 passes for 149 yards with one touchdown and one interception. For his career, Freeman has played in 62 NFL games (61 starts).