Tag: latest colts news

Colts re-sign DE Genard Avery

Genard Avery returns on a one-year deal.

The Indianapolis Colts re-signed defensive end Genard Avery to a one-year deal, per multiple reports Wednesday.

Avery spent the entire 2023 season on the Reserve/Injured list after he picked up a knee injury during joint training camp practice. The injury was to Avery’s LCL and meniscus and required season-ending surgery.

A fifth-round pick in the 2018 NFL draft out of Memphis, Avery was selected by the Cleveland Browns. He spent one and a half seasons in Cleveland before they traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles at the trade deadline in 2019.

Avery then spent the next two and a half seasons with the Eagles before signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 2022 offseason. He was cut during the preseason before the 2022 campaign and eventually signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

In 62 career games (17 starts), Avery has recorded 106 tackles (65 solo), 8.5 sacks, 12 tackles for loss and 29 quarterback hits.

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Colts to re-sign CB Kenny Moore II to 3-year deal

And it’s official! Kenny Moore II is returning on a three-year deal.

The Indianapolis Colts crossed the finish line with one of their top free agents, signing cornerback Kenny Moore II to a three-year deal on Tuesday.

The three-year extensions have been a theme for general manager Chris Ballard, and Moore is the latest to sign on the dotted line. He was their biggest free agent left to re-sign, bringing back a key piece of the secondary.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter was the first to report the news of the signing.

This is the second time Moore has been the highest-paid slot cornerback in the NFL during his career.

It was reported less than an hour earlier than this news that the Colts were making a strong push to bring Moore back. Now, the ink is on the paper, and the Colts will see the return of their top slot defender.

This is a pretty big deal for the Colts’ secondary, which is a major question mark going into the offseason. With Moore and several other in-house players now under contract before free agency, general manager Chris Ballard can focus on bringing in some outside free agents.

The slot position is becoming increasingly vital, and Moore bounced back in a major way after a disappointing 2022 campaign.

According to Pro Football Focus, Moore’s 96.2 passer rating ranked sixth-best among slot defenders with at least 300 coverage snaps from the slot. His 0.93 yards per snap ranked fourth-best while he allowed 5.31 yards after the catch per reception.

Moore’s stout ability as a run defender from the slot also makes him an important piece of the defense.

 

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Colts making ‘strong push’ to re-sign CB Kenny Moore

The Colts reportedly are making a strong push to re-sign CB Kenny Moore II.

The Indianapolis Colts reportedly are making a strong push to re-sign pending free-agent cornerback Kenny Moore II, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.

There has been mutual interest for a deal to get done between the Colts and Moore even though his market appears to be picking up.

The Colts have re-signed many of their top free agents such as Michael Pittman Jr., Grover Stewart and Tyquan Lewis. Moore is expected to be next on the list.

Being able to re-sign Moore, along with the players that already are back, would be a big deal for Gus Bradley’s defense. The slot position is becoming increasingly vital, and Moore bounced back in a major way after a disappointing 2022 campaign.

According to Pro Football Focus, Moore’s 96.2 passer rating ranked sixth-best among slot defenders with at least 300 coverage snaps from the slot. His 0.93 yards per snap ranked fourth-best while he allowed 5.31 yards after the catch per reception.

Moore’s stout ability as a run defender from the slot also makes him an important piece of the defense.

If they can bring Moore back on a two or three-year deal and then add a cornerback like L’Jarius Sneed via trade or a prospect like Terrion Arnold in the draft, a position of need would turn into a strength.

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Colts agreed to terms on 3-year deal with P Rigoberto Sanchez

Rigoberto Sanchez will be back with the Colts on a new 3-year deal!

The Indianapolis Colts and pending free agent punter Rigoberto Sanchez agreed to terms on a new contract, per multiple reports Tuesday.

Sanchez returned to form late in the 2023 season after working his way back from an Achilles tear that claimed his 2022 campaign. Now, the Colts can move forward with their specialist unit intact.

Mike Garafolo of NFL Network was the first to report the news.

Joel A. Erickson of The Indianapolis Star reported it will be a three-year deal for the punter.

Sanchez has been pretty reliable since entering the league in 2017. The former undrafted free agent out of Hawaii also handled kickoff duties before the Colts signed Matt Gay last offseason.

Despite coming back from a torn Achilles in 2023, Sanchez posted a career-high 42.8 net yards per return on 68 punts. Remarkably, none of his punts resulted in a touchback while 21 of them landed inside the 20-yard line.

It may not seem like a vital signing, but Sanchez gives the Colts a reliable weapon as a punter, and he should be even more effective now that he’s further removed from the Achilles injury.

 

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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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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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Free agency market for Colts’ Zack Moss is growing stronger

Zack Moss appears to have a strong market waiting for him in free agency.

The free agency market for Indianapolis Colts pending free agent Zack Moss appears to be growing stronger, according to multiple reports.

The complement to Jonathan Taylor and spot starter for the Colts at times during the 2023 season may have played himself into a bigger role for another team in free agency, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.

And it seems there will be plenty of interest in Moss’ services when the legal tampering period opens Monday at noon ET.

Moss likely played into a price range that will result in him leaving Indy. The Colts already have Taylor under contract, and they just signed wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. to a big three-year extension.

Entering Week 6 of the regular season, Moss’ 466 rushing yards trailed only Christian McCaffrey (553) for the league lead. In fact, Moss ranked second in the NFL in rushing yards (615) through the first nine weeks of the season, which was done despite Taylor having returned in Week 5.

His 183 carries for 794 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns were career-high marks for the former third-round pick.

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