INDIANAPOLIS: The Colts have already secured the long-term commitment of their top free agent.
In an attempt to secure a long-term contract from Anthony Richardson’s top target, wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was given the franchise tag by Indianapolis last week.
There is still a lot of work ahead of the Colts.
A few important Indianapolis players are free agents, and if they choose to leave, a few would leave obvious gaps on the roster. As NFL free agency approaches and the negotiating window opens at 4 p.m. on Monday, there is a critical emphasis on those positions.
“We want to keep our guy, as our history has demonstrated,” Colts general manager Chris Ballard stated. “Taking care of your own people first is preferred.”
That isn’t always achievable. There may be other options on the market for a better wage or a more favorable playing-time arrangement.
Moore, who is still only 28 years old, is one of the Colts who has been in Indianapolis for each of the general manager’s seven seasons and is featured on the side of Lucas Oil Stadium. Moore has been a key component of Ballard’s teams from the beginning. After having a difficult season in 2022, Moore recovered last year, making a career-high eight tackles-for-loss, intercepting three passes, and amassing 93 tackles as a versatile weapon. There’s still a chance, a source says, that Moore re-signs with Indianapolis before free agency opens, and he would be hard to replace.The Colts lack a reliable backup for Moore’s slot cornerback position on the team, and the position is difficult to fill in free agency.
Stewart shares Moore’s desire to return, and like Moore, he would be difficult to replace. In the 11 games that Stewart played in last season, the Indianapolis run defense was ranked in the top 10; however, in the six games that he missed, the defense was among the lowest in the league in terms of yards per carry. It is difficult to locate plug-and-play nose tackles in the draft, and there isn’t a clear improvement available on the open market.
At the ideal time, Blackmon had his best season yet, setting career highs in every category, including playing time and interceptions. Blackmon was the most reliable playmaker in the Indianapolis secondary until he sustained a shoulder injury at the end of the season, which prevented him from playing in the final two games. Surgery was not necessary. Blackmon has a history of injuries, and there are a lot of veteran options available in the safety market, making his case somewhat complicated. However, it’s possible that the Colts can get Blackmon back at a price they’re comfortable with due to the oversupplied safety market.
According to a source, Sanchez wants to stay in Indianapolis. However, it’s unclear if a deal between the two parties is near in a punter market that has been relatively weak over the last few years. After rupturing his Achilles tendon, Sanchez had a slow start to the previous season but showed signs of recovery towards the end. Indianapolis also experienced life without Sanchez after his Achilles injury in 2022, and it was unreliable.
Last season, Minshew signed a reasonable one-year contract worth $3.5 million with an additional $2 million in incentives. He quickly exceeded the terms of that contract by playing competent football in lieu of an injured Anthony Richardson. Minshew might receive a raise on the open market as a result of his performance, but more significantly, he might be given another opportunity to compete for a starting position—something that isn’t possible in Indianapolis.
