WWE Advertise John Cena As 'Free Agent'?

John Cena has been on hiatuses from WWE since WrestleMania 33, filming several movies and doing promotional work for his show American Grit, and in his absence ratings have been free-falling. While many factors contribute to the loss of 20% of the promotion's audience in the last year, the industry's top star not being around definitely isn't helping matters.

WWE has spent weeks touting the return of 'The Face That Runs The Place' to TV for the July 4th edition of SmackDown, which will take place in Phoenix, Arizona. Rumors persist that he'll be thrust immediately into the title picture to feud with current World champion Jinder Mahal, a program that could help provide 'The Maharaja' with some badly-needed credibility.

Early Monday a report surfaced regarding a proposed idea that would allow Cena to float back and forth between both Raw and SmackDown, giving each brand the benefit of utilizing his star power. While the story included no explanation for how WWE would accomplish such a move, a promo video that aired during tonight's Raw seems to cement the gossip as fact.

At the end of the brief clip hyping the newly-engaged star's first appearance since WrestleMania 33, the 16-time world champion is referred to as 'Free Agent John Cena'. All signs point to WWE moving ahead with their plan to have him work both shows.

For the better part of a decade, any time WWE faces the slightest negative trends their go-to move has been "more Cena". This latest stunt is yet another example of Vince McMahon and company dipping back into the well of familiarity rather than attempting to innovate a way out of their current rut.