How the Indianapolis Colts should handle the rest of free agency
The Indianapolis Colts have stayed true to their typical free-agent approach, which is staying quiet. As we leave the second wave, we enter an area where the Colts have been able to find multiple starters in the past. And while they could choose to remain quiet, I think they would be making a massive mistake. […]
The Indianapolis Colts have stayed true to their typical free-agent approach, which is staying quiet.
As we leave the second wave, we enter an area where the Colts have been able to find multiple starters in the past.
And while they could choose to remain quiet, I think they would be making a massive mistake. So below are the exact moves I think they should make before the 2024 NFL Draft.
Colts current cap space:
According to "Over the Cap," the Colts currently have just over $22.4. million remaining in cap space. They also have them at just over $18 million in effective cap space. Over the Cap defines effective cap space as "the cap space a team will have after signing at least 51 players and its projected rookie class to its roster."
Sign FS Justin Simmons
Contract: 2 years 16 million (12 million guaranteed)
Let's begin with the big swing I believe the Colts need to take, signing FS Justin Simmons. The Colts have huge holes on their roster at both safety spots, and this year's free-agency market offered them the perfect opportunity to land two quality starters.
An opportunity they have not taken advantage of to date, as both starting safety spots are projected to be players the team did not trust down the stretch in those roles. Simmons is 30 years old but still plays at a high level. He's coming off a season with three interceptions and two forced fumbles.
He's a player the Colts can trust to man their starting FS position and single high coverages that were simply a liability last year. I think he's the perfect veteran leader to add to the team's young secondary, which would benefit multiple players and the Colts' defense as a whole tremendously.
There are rumbles around the NFL that Simmons remains unsigned due to his high asking price. I think a two-year offer at $16 million is a fair price considering the current safety market. I came to $12 million being fully guaranteed because that would cover all of year one of the contract and half of year two, which would hopefully both entice Simmons and limit the potential long-term risk for the Colts.
Re-sign SS Julian Blackmon
Contract: 1 year 4.5 million (2.5 guaranteed)
This move is one I think the Colts should have already done, which is re-signing Julian Blackmon. Blackmon is coming off a career year in which he set new personal bests with four interceptions, eight pass deflections, 88 total tackles, and five tackles for loss.
This would usually result in a 25-year-old player cashing in on a deserved payday. Still, unfortunately for Blackmon, he ended the year on IR with a shoulder injury after appearing and starting in the Colts' first 15 games of the season. This means Blackmon failed to play a full season during his rookie contract. This is the only way a player of his caliber is still available, even after taking two public free-agent visits to the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers.
The Colts would be wise to pounce while Blackmon is still available. In my opinion, a one-year prove-it deal to return to Indianapolis makes the most sense for both parties. As I said earlier, Blackmon is coming off a career year, and him returning would allow him to hit the road running as he attempts to land an extension next offseason instead of having to learn a new defense on top of everything.
Sign CB Xavien Howard
Contract: 1 year 7 million (5 million guaranteed)
The last move I think the Colts need to make is adding a veteran CB. Like safety, the Colts opting not to make any move at CB this offseason seems like a huge mistake to me. They ended up starting two rookies most of last season, and while I believe the team sees a lot of potential in their young room, I also think they would benefit from a reliable veteran on the outside to raise the floor of the room.
When looking over the current CB market and the Colts' defensive scheme, I think the best fit is former Miami Dolphins All-Pro CB Xavien Howard. Many believed Howard suffered significant regression last year in Miami, and while that may be the case, I think the Colts' heavy usage of zone coverage would provide Howard the opportunity to get the most out of his current skill set and potentially lead to a rebound year.
Howard and his team likely share that mindset, so a one-year deal seems like what he will covet. I think a one-year deal with a veteran who is respected at such a high level, like Howard, will help the Colts continue to develop their young CBs and improve their play in both the CB room and the defense as a whole.
After assigning cap hits accordingly, these moves would likely leave the Colts with roughly 7 million in cap space, which would be more than enough to sign their draft class and undrafted free agents.
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