yeah, thats kinda been my point the whole time really... Is that for each role to be treated properly, it would kind of require a seperate game altogether.
Limiting Roles to Solo, Netrunner, Nomad Tech Medtech and Fixer, is probably the easiest route they can take with the game... allowing us to mix up those roles pretty easily too, without much of a stir in the way the storyline plays out, or the mechanics of the game.
Corporate, Media, Rockerboy, Cop.... those are full time careers, they follow a fairly strict structure, and the nature of them limits what you can reasonably have the freedom or abulity, or even desire, to do.
Idisagree with your assessment of most of the roles:
Solo - If you are a freelance gun for hire, then you aren't in a demanding career as it were, but if you are on the books of a merc unit, criminal organistion or corporation then you will be expect to show up and do your job.
Netrunner - same as the Solo.
Nomad - In my eyes, this is a heavily restrictive role, not to mention that it seems more of a 'situation' than an 'occupation'. Nomads are nothing without their families and they are beholden to them. When the family needs you, you have to show up. A nomad without a family is just a homeless bum with a set of wheels.
Techie - If you run your own workshop, you can work as you see fit, but if you are on the books for a major organisation, you have to show up for work...
Meditech - same as the Techie.
Fixer - A fixer who doesn't keep his personal business moving and contacts updated is not going to be in business long. If anything, being a Fixer can be the most demanding of all the roles with regards to effort needed to keep them operating in their role. (Damn I love the 'Wildside' sourcebook.)
Corporate - Ok, working for the man is fairly restrictive by definition. But you can also be given a lot of freedom to operate depending on the exact nature of your employment. The Corporate Edgerunner isn't usually the paper pusher, he's the guy that get's paid to shout at the paper pushers and get results.
Media - A freelance media, (which is probably most of them,) has no one to answer to and therefore can operate however they see fit at their own pace. I hardly call that restrictve.
Rockerboy - much like the Media, Rockers can operate under their own steam, working crowds and gigs as they present themselves. That's probably why they end up as Edgerunners doing courier jobs and boosting secret hardware for the same douchebags that they complain about in their music.
Cop - Being an actual Cop is a career, but being a private investigator or a bounty hunter comes under this heading too and they are not as restricted.
Don't forget that an integral part of the character creation process for 2020 was working out if your character is currently employed or not. If you are employed, you have to show up for work. If you aren't, then you are a Runner of leisure...
It's all down to interpretation.
But hey, they may be doing away with the established roles and creating completely new ones. Realistically, all the roles are comprised of varying levels of 3 attributes: Combat Prowess, Technical Ability and Ability to Manipulate People. Everything else about a role is flavour.