Bill Barnwell of ESPN recently put together 10 deals, whether they be trades or free agent signings, that he believes should still take place before training camps begin. Although the Colts were not specifically mentioned within any of these scenarios, the other three AFC South teams were.
Here is a look at each of the three moves that if they were to take place, would have an impact on the Colts’ 2024 season.
Jaguars trade for Saints CB Marshon Lattimore
Barnwell points out that the Jaguars’ cornerbacks didn’t play all that well last season–although they have attempted to solve that issue this offseason. Jaguars’ new defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen was a former Saints assistant, and last season, Nielsen was with the Falcons who played man coverage at one of the highest rates in the NFL.
Lions trade for Texans WR Robert Woods
In short, Barnwell says this is a deal that makes sense for the Texans because they are “absolutley stacked” at wide receiver. Stefon Diggs joins Nico Collins and Tank Dell. Houston also has John Metchie, Noah Brown, and they just traded for Ben Skowronek.
Steelers trade for Titans WR Treylon Burks
Barnwell notes that injuries and inconsistent quarterback play have contributed to a rocky start to Burks’ career, and he now finds himself somewhat “buried on a depth chart.” Burks caught just 16 passes in 11 games last season. Barnwell adds that Burks’ contract could be a hurdle in any potential trade talks.
What about the Colts?
The Colts were not among the teams that Barnwell brought up, but GM Chris Ballard did say after the draft that there are still good players available in free agency and that they would look into all of them to see if there are any potential fits.
“Between now and the start of the season – there are still some good players out there,” Ballard said after the draft. “There’s some veterans out there that can still play. We’ll dig and investigate all of them and then make a decision if we think they are the right fit for us as we go along.”
The cornerback and safety positions remain the biggest question marks for the Colts. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley mentioned that outside of Kenny Moore at the nickel and Julian Blackmon at strong safety, the other starting spots are ‘wide open.’
The experience gained last season by several young contributors in the secondary, along with the return of Dallis Flowers, will hopefully be the catalyst for improved play from a group that allowed too many explosive pass plays while not having enough ball production last season.
If the Colts do want to make an addition, they have the salary cap flexibility to do so after extending DeForest Buckner. Some of the top available free agents also happen to be either cornerbacks or safeties.