According to ESPN’s Ben Solak, the Indianapolis Colts currently have one of the NFL’s bottom tier free agency classes, coming in at 27th overall, which was highlighted by the priority re-signings of both quarterback Daniel Jones and wideout Alec Pierce:
27. Indianapolis Colts
Key acquisitions and returning players: Daniel Jones, Alec Pierce, Arden Key, Colby Wooden, Micheal Clemons, Cam Taylor-Britt, Akeem Davis-Gaither, Nick Westbrook-Ikhine
I loved: Retaining Pierce and tagging Jones. The Colts rightfully prioritized the young rising star wide receiver and let the injured mercenary quarterback “test the market” on the transition tag. Although Pierce’s $28.5 million per year has some sticker shock at first, it will quickly be outstripped by an ever-rising wide receiver market.
I would have liked to see the Colts earnestly investigate quarterback alternatives (read: sign Kyler Murray), but they were always going to bring back Jones, who looked like the final solution to their QB woes for about nine weeks last season. Jones’ two-year deal is extremely cuttable after one season, giving the Colts the flexibility they need as they navigate his Achilles recovery.
I didn’t love: The defensive back seven. This is about as thin of a linebacker and safety room as I’ve seen in the post-free agency, predraft space. The current projected starters at linebacker are Austin Ajiake, Jaylon Carlies and Davis-Gaither. At safety, Hunter Wohler will replace Nick Cross. The Colts have tried to find viable starters on minimum contracts in Juanyeh Thomas and Jonathan Owens, but it’s a bleak outlook in the back seven for Indianapolis. Without a first-round pick, the Colts will struggle to fill all of their current gaps.
It’s a little perplexing to me that Solak is as concerned at safety. While two-year starter Nick Cross departed in free agency, the Colts still have Cam Bynum, and their apparently very high on Hunter Wohler, who was a rookie who missed all of last season with a Lisfranc injury suffered during preseason.
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Juanyeh Thomas and Jonathan Owens aren’t going to draw headlines as impact free agent safety signings, although Thomas may have some untapped potential, while Owens is more of a key special teamer, but the two Colts safeties they may be replacing, Rodney Thomas II (*who signed with the Seattle Seahawks) and Daniel Scott haven’t exactly lit the world on fire as of late either. The latter has constantly been injured in his early career with the Colts.
More concerning may be at linebacker, regarding who appears to be the starter alongside Davis-Gaither, with Zaire Franklin having been traded to the Green Bay Packers and fellow veteran Germaine Pratt still a free agent. The Colts could easily turn to ‘Day 2’ of the NFL Draft to help fill the void, but it’s not as though Davis-Gaither is firmly entrenched as a starting linebacker either.
Of equal concern is the starting defensive end spot opposite Laiatu Latu, as both veterans Kwity Paye (Las Vegas Raiders) and Samson Ebukam (Atlanta Falcons) departed in free agency as well. The Colts did sign veteran Arden Key, but he appears to be more of a rotational edge, while Michael Clemons serves as their 4th defensive end.
Lastly, replacing WR2 Michael Pittman Jr. shouldn’t be overlooked either. His receiving production and explosiveness had been down recently, perhaps because of injuries, but he was a good football player, who did a lot of little things to help an offense. The Colts did add former Tennessee Titans castoff Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, but more work may need to be done from a perimeter blocking standpoint—as Pittman Jr. was always a willing, physical blocker along the outside that won’t be easily replaced, particularly for workhorse Jonathan Taylor.
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Had the Colts been successful signing former Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro edge Trey Hendrickson, who instead signed with the Baltimore Ravens following the Maxx Crosby fallout, this ranking may have looked a lot different.
As it stands, Indianapolis still has some work to do to shore up some major holes—defensive end among them.