Tag: colts free agency

Will re-signing Grover Stewart impact Colts draft plans?

Re-signing Grover Stewart was a must, but the Colts should still look for depth behind him in the draft.

The Indianapolis Colts were able to keep a priority in-house free agent during the first day of legal tampering in free agency.

Defensive tackle Grover Stewart agreed to a three-year deal worth $39 million to stay in Indianapolis. This was a vital contract for Chris Ballard to get done this offseason. His value to the defense was on display in 2023 when he was out of the lineup during his six-game suspension.

How does this impact Indy’s draft plans?

By having Stewart on the roster, there isn’t a glaring need at the one-tech spot ahead of the upcoming NFL draft. With that being said, that shouldn’t stop from Ballard having one-tech prospects on his radar over the next month and a half.

As I alluded to, the Colts defense struggled mightily defending the run without Stewart, and they can’t afford to have that happen again in 2024 if the veteran defensive tackle has to miss any time.

Stewart has been durable throughout his career but it has to be kept in mind that he will turn 33 during the final year of his new contract.

Age could finally catch up to him in the next few years so having a young player to develop behind him would be ideal. It would provide depth if any injuries to Stewart were to occur and the coaching staff would have three seasons to prep the player to take over Stewart’s role when his contract is up.

I see the third round being the earliest where we could see Ballard take a one-tech defensive tackle prospect like a T’Vondre Sweat if he falls that far but there are other quality options that will be on the board in Day 3.

Getting more beef for the middle of the trenches has to be done in the upcoming NFL draft.

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Zack Moss agrees to deal with Bengals, what that means for Colts

Zack Moss is heading to Cincinnati. What does that mean for the Colts?

Indianapolis Colts pending free agent running back Zack Moss found a new home in free agency, agreeing to a two-year deal with the Cincinnati Bengals late Monday night.

It was expected that Moss could have outpriced himself in the market for the Colts after his impressive showing during the early portion of the 2023 season while Jonathan Taylor was absent between an ankle injury and a contract dispute.

Now, the Colts have to find a new backup running back to supplant Moss’ role as a change-of-pace option.

Losing Moss isn’t a massive deal in terms of the on-field impact. He’s a good player, of course, but there are plenty of running backs capable of filling the void behind Taylor, who will continue to be the starter.

Moss will be missed in the locker room, though, and there’s a good chance he works his way into the starting role in Cincinnati, especially after the team cut Joe Mixon.

Where the Colts go from here will be interesting. They can look to free agency to add a veteran backup. If they do, we shouldn’t expect them to go after any big names or sink any significant salary-cap space into the position.

Maybe they re-sign Trey Sermon, who served in a depth role during the 2023 season. They’re expected to get 2023 fifth-round pick Evan Hull back from a knee injury that claimed his entire rookie season, but it isn’t clear how the Colts view his outlook.

They could also go after a bruiser like D’Onta Foreman or opt for cheaper options like Rico Dowdle and Royce Freeman.

There’s a chance the Colts use another draft pick at the position, but that likely wouldn’t come until Day 3.

Either way, the Colts have another backup position to fill this offseason after Moss got a well-deserved contract with the potential to be a starter.

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Michael Pittman Jr. contract extension: What it means for Colts’ draft plans

What Michael Pittman Jr.’s contract means for the Colts’ draft plans.

Just before the free agency legal tampering period kicked off, it was announced that the Indianapolis Colts and Michael Pittman Jr. agreed to a three-year contract extension.

The deal reportedly can reach up to $71.5 million and it includes $46 million guaranteed.

This locks in the No. 1 target for Anthony Richardson and avoids any contract drama throughout OTAs and minicamp this summer—something I am sure Chris Ballard wanted to avoid after the Jonathan Taylor saga.

With Pittman now under contract, how does it impact Indy’s draft plans?

It shouldn’t. Pittman Jr. was already a lock to be on the roster in 2024 because of the franchise tag and based on Ballard’s comments at the NFL combine, there were no plans to trade him if both sides didn’t come to an agreement before the summer deadline.

A pass catcher in the first round should still be on the table for the Colts if they want one. With Pittman Jr.’s extension, Indianapolis has him, Alec Pierce, and Josh Downs all under contract through at least the 2025 season (Pierce’s last year of his rookie contract). They also have Ashton Dulin returning from an injury.

By adding a receiver via the draft, Ballard would have an inexpensive receiving corps with three players playing on rookie contracts.

This would allow the front office to utilize the cap space on other parts of the roster throughout the next few seasons while also taking advantage of the rookie quarterback contact Richardson is on.

Whether it is in the first round or later on in the draft, I still expect the Colts to leave with another young receiver on their roster come late April.

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Colts free agency: What are details of new Tyquan Lewis contract?

Here’s a look at the contract details for Tyquan Lewis’ new deal.

The Indianapolis Colts retained some vital depth along the defensive line by re-signing Tyquan Lewis to a two-year deal. We have the preliminary details of that contract.

After a career year, Lewis and the Colts agreed on a two-year deal worth $12 million with $7.7 million guaranteed, according to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report.

That’s a solid deal for both sides. Lewis has had an extensive injury history, but he’s persevered at an incredible rate. He should be able to provide another solid season of working as the third or fourth pass rusher from the edge.

Lewis broke out in a big way after playing a full 17-game season. He tied a career-high with 4.0 sacks while he posted career-high marks in tackles for loss (nine), quarterback hits (13) and total pressures (44).

The Colts may still add to the edge rusher room in the draft, but the return of Lewis into the rotation is a key piece. And it’s a solid value for a productive No. 3/4 edge rusher.

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Colts free agency: Tyquan Lewis re-signs on 2-year deal

Tyquan Lewis is back after a career year.

The Indianapolis Colts are bringing back a fan favorite and a player with an incredible story. Defensive lineman Tyquan Lewis is returning to the team on a two-year deal.

Lewis was slated to hit free agency when the new league year begins Wednesday, but the Colts were able to bring back the persevering pass rusher after a career season.

Though the financials haven’t been reported as of this writing, it’s a two-year deal, per James Boyd of The Athletic.

Lewis has an incredible story. The former second-round pick was just beginning to break out in 2021 before he suffered a torn patellar tendon against the Tennessee Titans. The Colts re-signed him to a one-year deal the following offseason.

Again having a strong 2022 campaign, Lewis tore the patellar tendon in his other knee. In an eerie coincidence, it occurred almost exactly one year later to the day. The Colts once again re-signed him to a one-year deal for the 2023 season.

Then, Lewis broke out in a rotational role.

He tied a career-high with 4.0 sacks while he posted career-high marks in tackles for loss (nin), quarterback hits (13) and total pressures (44).

With Grover Stewart back on a three-year deal and the trio of Kwity Paye, Samson Ebukam and Dayo Odeyingbo returning on the edge, the Colts again sport a solid defensive line.

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Colts free agency: Grover Stewart returns on 3-year deal

Big Grove is back on a three-year deal!

The Indianapolis Colts took care of a big piece of business, re-signing defensive tackle Grover Stewart to a three-year deal.

Arguably the top priority among Colts free agents after Michael Pittman Jr., bringing Stewart back is a massive deal for the defensive line. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the contract is for three years worth $39 million.

Stewart is known mostly for his run-stopping abilities. He’s an elite defender in that arena, but he’s also coming along as a pass rusher. Though he’s 30 years old, the prime for defensive tackles is a bit later in their careers compared to other positions.

The Colts got a glimpse of what life is like without Stewart redirecting traffic against the run when he was suspended for six games during the 2023 season. It was abysmal watching the Colts get shredded via the ground attack. The suspension may have helped his stock in terms of getting a new contract.

During that stretch, the Colts allowed 153 rushing yards per game. In the 11 games he was active, that number dropped to 107.9 rushing yards per game allowed. The Colts didn’t have an immediate replacement on the roster, and the options in free agency would have been either a downgrade or a gross overpay.

With Stewart back, the Colts have a strong defensive line to work with while also having the chance to add more to the unit via free agency and the 2024 NFL draft.

 

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Report: Colts ink Zaire Franklin to big 3-year contract extension

The Colts signed Zaire Franklin to a three-year extension.

The Indianapolis Colts reportedly are signing linebacker Zaire Franklin to a three-year contract extension, per multiple reports Monday morning.

Even though Franklin isn’t scheduled to be a free agent this offseason, it was likely that the Colts would have to revisit his contract considering the production he’s given the team over the last two seasons.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Franklin’s deal is for three years worth $31.26 million.

Franklin was slated to receive $2.88 million in 2024, which was the final year of his previous contract. His $2.3 million per year ranked 41st among NFL linebackers. Meanwhile, Franklin ranks second in the NFL in tackles (346) and solo tackles (209) over the last two seasons combined.

The value simply didn’t add up.

Though the structure will give us a better idea of how the contract breaks down, Franklin’s average annual value of $10.42 million per year ranks seventh among all linebackers. It puts him just ahead of Bobby Okereke’s $10 million average annual value with the New York Giants.

Franklin has been an extremely impactful player for the Colts ever since he took over the starting role in 2022. He has broken the single-season franchise record for tackles in a season in each of the last two campaigns.

Franklin is also beloved in the locker room and has been a team captain for four straight seasons (2020-2023).

 

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Why Colts’ Grover Stewart is among most underrated in free agency

Here’s why Big Grove is one of the most underrated free agents.

Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Grover Stewart is expected to have a robust market in free agency, and he can begin negotiating with other teams Monday at noon ET.

There’s still a chance Stewart re-signs with the Colts ahead of the start of the legal tampering period. But as of this writing, no deal has been struck yet.

Colts fans know all too well just how valuable Stewart’s presence is both on the field and in the locker room. Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire shared a similar sentiment, listing Stewart as one of the most underrated defenders set to hit free agency.

Stewart’s 2023 season was waylaid to a point because he served a six-game suspension after violating the NFL’s policy against performance-enhancing substances, but when he was on the field, he looked like the same Grover Stewart we’ve seen for a while now. His numbers last season were relatively low, but the tape told a more positive story of a guy playing much bigger than he was (6-foot-4, 314 pounds), especially in the nose tackle and nose shade positions. Stewart had one sack, 15 total pressures, 24 stops, and five tackles for loss in 2023, and wherever he lands, you can expect more than that in a full season.

Stewart’s calling card has always been a consistent disruptor against the run. Even when he’s not directly making a play, his impact typically leads to a win for the defense. But he’s also grown into a solid pass rusher from the one-technique in his own right.

After Michael Pittman Jr., there’s an argument that Stewart is the most important free agent for the Colts this offseason. His absence during his suspension in 2023 made for a brutal run defense during that two month span.

Stewart’s best fit is staying with the Colts, but he’s going to thrive wherever he goes.

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Report: ‘A chance remains’ for Colts to re-sign Kenny Moore II

It seems there’s a chance the Colts re-sign Kenny Moore before free agency.

The Indianapolis Colts and cornerback Kenny Moore II are coming up on the legal tampering period, which allows pending free agents to negotiate with other teams.

Before that official time arrives Monday at noon ET, the Colts reportedly still have a chance to re-sign Moore to a contract, per Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star.

Erickson reported that “a chance remains” for a deal to get done before Moore is permitted to negotiate with other teams around the NFL.

One of the top free agents for the Colts set to hit the market, Moore would be a difficult player to replace. Though he’s typically viewed as a slot-only cornerback, he has experience working on the outside.

Moore’s impact goes beyond the strong coverage he put together in the slot during the 2023 season as well. His instincts and tackling abilities against the run make him an impact player in both phases of the game.

Where the Colts and Moore find themselves in terms of his value will be interesting. He’s still one of the best slot defenders in the NFL, but he will be entering his age-29 season.

We’ll see what happens over the next 24 hours before the legal tampering period begins, but it seems there’s still a chance a deal gets done.

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Colts free agency: Salary cap update after franchise tag

Where the Colts stand in salary cap space after using the franchise tag.

The Indianapolis Colts used the non-exclusive franchise tag on wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. on Tuesday, which had a large impact on the team’s salary-cap space.

Fortunately for the Colts, they entered the offseason working with an abundance of cap space. Applying the franchise tag, which costs $21.8 million, also gives them the chance to work out a long-term deal, which could save them cap space depending on the structure.

After applying the one-year, fully guaranteed tender, the Colts now have roughly $49.2 million in cap space and just over $45 million in effective cap space, per Over The Cap.

Those figures rank seventh and sixth, respectively, among teams in the NFL.

Pittman won’t need to sign his franchise tender until the middle of July so they have time to wrinkle out the details on a long-term contract.

With that order of business on the shelf for now, the Colts now turn their focus to re-signing some of their big-name free agents like defensive tackle Grover Stewart and cornerback Kenny Moore II. Both players should have extremely strong markets.

We’ll see what’s in store for the Colts leading up to the open negotiating period, which arrives Monday. But they should have plenty of cap space to work with on the open market.

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