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Indianapolis Colts News & Rumors

Colts Resume Julian Blackmon Talks; Team Offered Danielle Hunter More Than Texans

March 27th, 2024 at 1:48pm CST by Sam Robinson

Operating as a retention-based GM who has shied away from big free agency pickups during his eight-year tenure, Chris Ballard continued work in this area this offseason. The Colts extended Michael Pittman Jr. and re-signed Kenny Moore, Grover Stewart and Tyquan Lewis.

Indianapolis, however, still wants more help in the secondary. Moore has worked as the team’s slot cornerback for seven years, and while his new deal takes care of that need, the Colts could use assistance on the outside and at safety. Ballard confirmed the team is looking to add in the secondary, confirming (via the Indianapolis Star’s Nate Atkins) they are considering more options in free agency. One of them, in Colts fashion, is a player whose Indianapolis rookie deal just expired.

Ballard confirmed (via ESPN’s Stephen Holder) the Colts have reengaged in talks with Julian Blackmon. The four-year starter had visited the Bills and 49ers but has not landed a deal. A Colts reunion has been in play for a bit, and considering the retention the team has already gone through with on Gus Bradley‘s defense, a second Blackmon contract would not surprise.

It is certainly possible Blackmon’s asking price led the Bills to sign Mike Edwards, who began last season as a Chiefs backup before moving into the lineup due to a Bryan Cook injury. Indianapolis had targeted Edwards as well.

The Colts used Blackmon at different spots in Bradley’s scheme, and the former third-round pick will not turn 26 until just before the season. He notched career-high marks in INTs (four), tackles (88) and passes defensed (eight) last season, but this year’s safety market — beyond Xavier McKinney — stalled due to an unexpected surplus that formed in free agency just before the new league year.

One of the few players among PFR’s top 50 free agents who has not landed a deal, Blackmon has likely been impacted by the crowded market. A few teams released high-profile safeties, leaving the likes of Justin Simmons, Micah Hyde, Quandre Diggs, Jamal Adams, Eddie Jackson and Marcus Maye unsigned. It is possible Blackmon could take a one-year deal in hopes of reestablishing his value. Nick Cross has been unable to establish himself as a starter, while Pro Football Focus rated Blackmon sidekick Rodney Thomas 78th at the position last season.

Their largely in-house offseason mission notwithstanding, the Colts did pursue Danielle Hunter. The Texas native chose Houston, but Holder adds Indianapolis offered more money. That said, it would be a bit surprising if the Colts’ proposal included more guaranteed money than Hunter received. The Texans gave the longtime Vikings edge rusher a $49MM deal that came nearly fully guaranteed; the 10th-year vet locked in $48MM at signing.

The Colts saw improvement from homegrown rushers Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo last season; the 2021 first- and second-round picks, respectively, totaled 8.5 and eight sacks in 2023. Samson Ebukam, who came over from the 49ers last year, led the team with 9.5 sacks. Hunter would have been an interesting addition capable of creating a formidable top four for Indy, but he has a clear-cut opportunity to start opposite Defensive Rookie of the Year Will Anderson Jr. in Houston.

Cardinals Rumors: Brown, Moore, Humphries

March 24th, 2024 at 10:09am CST by Rory Parks

The Cardinals are open to trading the No. 4 overall pick in next month’s draft, a move which would net them additional high-end draft capital while still allowing them to select one of the best wide receivers in a class full of receiving talent. And given that Arizona has parted ways with Marquise Brown and Rondale Moore this offseason, the club’s need for multiple pass catchers to support quarterback Kyler Murray is particularly glaring.

Here’s the latest from the desert, starting with a couple of notes on those recently-departed wideouts:

  • Brown ultimately signed a one-year, $7MM contract with the Chiefs, a deal that includes an additional $4MM in incentives. “Hollywood” had previously expressed interest in re-signing with the Cardinals, and Mike Jurecki of Arizona Football Daily confirms that Brown indeed hoped to return to Arizona even as he was garnering league-wide interest. However, the Cardinals never attempted to match or better KC’s offer, so the speedy wideout will work alongside Patrick Mahomes & Co. as he eyes a lucrative multiyear pact in 2025.
  • Moore, meanwhile, was traded to the Falcons, and he will apparently welcome the change of scenery that the Kirk Cousins-led outfit will provide. Despite working with two different play-callers over his first three professional seasons, Moore felt he was not given enough opportunities in the vertical passing game and ran too many horizontal routes, as ESPN’s Josh Weinfuss details. Moore will also be eligible for free agency in 2025, and while there are a number of talented skill position players on Atlanta’s roster, the soon-to-be 24-year-old could become a key ancillary target in a high-upside offense.
  • Even if the Cardinals select a top-tier WR prospect like Marvin Harrison Jr.  or Malik Nabers, the club could certainly add another receiver or two later on in the draft, especially given their need at the position and the strength of this year’s class. To that end, as Jurecki notes, the team recently scheduled a “30” visit with Texas WR Xavier Worthy, who set a Scouting Combine record with a 4.21-second 40-yard dash and whom NFL.com draft guru Daniel Jeremiah referred to as a taller version of Brown. The Colts also have a visit scheduled with Worthy.
  • Earlier this month, the Cardinals released OT D.J. Humphries, who had spent his entire career with the club since being selected in the first round of the 2015 draft. Financially, the release was an easy call for GM Monti Ossenfort, as Humphries tore his ACL at the end of the 2023 campaign and is therefore uncertain to play in 2024, when he was due to carry a $22MM cap charge. Emotionally, however, Ossenfort called the move “brutal,” saying, “the salary cap and the way things are set up and the way contracts work, it put us in a very tough situation. I can’t say enough about how I feel about D.J. as a football player and moreso as a person. His energy, and the leadership he brought to this team, we are certainly going to miss him. I hope nothing but the best for him in his recovery and his rehab” (via Darren Urban of the team’s official website).
  • The Cardinals added Jonah Williams in free agency this year and drafted Paris Johnson with the No. 6 overall pick in last year’s draft, and they are still rostering veteran Kelvin Beachum. Nonetheless, Ossenfort left to the door open to a Humphries reunion once Humphries’ rehab is complete.
  • Ossenfort has been busy fortifying his defensive line this offseason, adding Bilal Nichols, Justin Jones, and Khyiris Tonga in free agency. Nichols and Jones landed notable multiyear deals, while Tonga signed a one-year, $1.75MM accord, per CardsWire’s Howard Balzer. Still, Ossenfort thinks highly of Tonga and cited his size and the strength of his performance near the end of his tenure with the Vikings as reasons for his belief that the former seventh-round pick could carve out a meaningful role in the desert.

Titans’ Trade For CB L’Jarius Sneed Falls Through; League Interest Cooling

March 22nd, 2024 at 8:13pm CST by Ely Allen

Two weeks ago, we went into some detail on the list of teams interested in trading for Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed. The Titans were one of those teams, and it appears the team was all but set to trade for Kansas City’s top cornerback before one detail sank the deal. According to Nate Taylor of The Athletic, the inability of Tennessee to reach an agreement on a multi-year extension for Sneed kept the trade from going through.

The Chiefs avoided allowing Sneed to test unrestricted free agency by applying the franchise tag on him earlier this month. While every now and then, a franchise tag application can be the end of the story, keeping a key player under contract for one additional, high-paying year, often times, the tag is meant to buy time as the player continues to seek a long-term contract. With Sneed, that meant two options: seeking a long-term contract with Kansas City or getting traded to another team that may be more open to giving him the deal he desires.

The Chiefs are very familiar with the tag-and-trade maneuver. They have utilized it themselves to send Dee Ford to the 49ers while also taking advantage of it to bring Frank Clark from Seattle. Right now, it appears that Kansas City is unwilling to meet Sneed where he’s wanting to be in terms of a contract extension. As a result, they have essentially informed every team in the NFL that Sneed is available for a trade.

With the Chiefs hearing offers on Sneed, a number of teams reached out to express interest. We noted the Vikings, Colts, Titans, Patriots, Lions, Falcons, Jaguars, and Dolphins as teams looking to acquire the 27-year-old. While all these teams showed initial interest, it was never clear how many had the intentions of trading for Sneed then extending him.

Sneed has made it clear that he is seeking a three- or four-year contract with an average annual value of at least $20MM, a salary that would make him the league’s third-highest-paid cornerback. While Tennessee was ready to part ways with whatever Kansas City wanted in exchange for Sneed, the Titans were apparently not ready to hand Sneed a new contract. Without a new contract, Sneed is set to play with a one-year salary of $19.8MM on the franchise tag, with every penny counting towards his team’s cap space. This provides incentive for the Chiefs or whatever team trades for him to use a new deal to lessen his salary cap impact.

The Titans apparently pivoted from the Sneed-trade to sign cornerback Chidobe Awuzie and use the extra money to sign wide receiver Calvin Ridley. The Lions traded instead for cornerback Carlton Davis. Additionally, Taylor informs that the Patriots, Vikings, and Falcons have ceased engagements with Kansas City concerning Sneed. So who else is left to vie for his services?

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini names Indianapolis as the most likely destination for Sneed at this time. The Chiefs will be wanting at least a second-round pick for Sneed, but if they can’t reach that value, they’re going to want two picks, with one of them being a third-rounder. She identifies the Colts‘ 46th, 82nd, and 117th overall picks as the ones that could entice Kansas City. On the Pat McAfee Show, ESPN’s Adam Schefter disputed Russini’s opinion, claiming that “the Colts and the Chiefs haven’t had any conversations” about a trade taking place. Stephen Holder of ESPN delved deeper claiming that, after contemplating the idea of a Sneed-trade, Indianapolis instead opted to re-sign its own players, like cornerback Kenny Moore.

As for the Chiefs, the relative inactivity around Sneed could allow them to lower Sneed’s asking price on a new deal. Sneed has expressed interest in remaining with the Chiefs multiple times. He doesn’t seem too eager to give a hometown discount, as he realizes that this is likely his best opportunity to maximize on his value, but he likes the idea of a Super Bowl three-peat and enjoyed his role as the team’s shadow corner.

Kansas City is in no rush to overpay, though. They are currently ranked 28th in cap space, according to OverTheCap.com, and they are confident in their ability to identify cornerback talent through the draft. Without Sneed, the Chiefs will return Trent McDuffie, Joshua Williams, and Jaylen Watson, three players they believe to be starting-caliber.

As the draft inches closer and closer, it’s starting to seem like one of two things will need to happen: either Kansas City is going to need to lower their asking price for Sneed in order to move him, or Sneed will need to lower his asking price for a new extension. It doesn’t sound like the Chiefs are interested in keeping Sneed on the roster in 2024, but someone will need to bend in order for him to move. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, for one, expects the team to move on from Sneed before the draft.

S Julian Blackmon To Visit 49ers; Colts Deal Still In Play

March 22nd, 2024 at 3:35pm CST by Adam La Rose

MARCH 22: ESPN’s Stephen Holder confirms a deal allowing Blackmon to continue his Colts tenure could still be worked out. For now, though, he notes both player and team (along with outside suitors) are engaged in a “waiting game” until more clarity emerges with respect to the safety market or his asking price.

Several veteran backend producers are still unsigned, which will no doubt limit the extent to which interested parties will be willing to make a lucrative commitment. When the next set of safety dominoes fall, though, Blackmon will no doubt be among those to benefit.

MARCH 21: Julian Blackmon remains one of the top safety options in a crowded free agent market. He has already taken a visit with the Bills, but further interest exists around the league.

Blackmon will meet with the 49ers today, per Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report. He adds that “several suitors” are still around in this case, which comes as no surprise. The 25-year-old could find himself remaining with the Colts in 2024 on a new deal, but outside bidders will no doubt be in place for his services given the nature of his performance last season.

The former third-rounder posted four interceptions, eight pass deflections and 88 tackles in his contract year. Even in an offseason featuring several veteran safeties let go by their respective teams, Blackmon thus entered free agency as one of the top defenders on the market. He would provide a new team with a veteran of 46 career starts, and San Francisco represents a logical landing spot.

The reigning NFC champions were hit hard with injuries on the backend last season. All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga suffered an ACL tear, while George Odum was lost to a biceps injury. San Francisco was forced to rely on rookie Ji’Ayir Brown more than expected as a result, and the team brought in Logan Ryan in December as veteran insurance. The 49ers have extended Odum, and he is one of several options at the position with a special teams background.

While Hufanga and Brown are still on their respective rookie contracts, further moves at the safety spot could help the 49ers deal with a potential repeat of last year’s injury woes. The former will be in line for a lucrative new pact if he can return to health, and the latter flashed potential with three combined regular and postseason interceptions in 2023. Still, bringing in Blackmon would add considerably to the team’s secondary in the short- and long-term future (presuming his strong market results in a multi-year agreement). The 49ers entered Thursday with just under $13MM in cap space.

Eagles Made Offer To QB Joe Flacco

March 21st, 2024 at 6:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

An intra-Pennsylvania trade generated considerable attention, but prior to the Eagles acquiring Kenny Pickett from the Steelers, they had what would have been an interesting reunion in mind.

Joe Flacco has gone from waiting until November to be signed to receiving multiple offers in free agency. Before Flacco committed to the Colts, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan notes the Eagles submitted an offer for him to come back to Philadelphia.

The Eagles will turn to Pickett behind Jalen Hurts, but they were interested in Flacco reprising the backup role he held briefly in 2021. The New Jersey native signed with the Eagles three years ago but never saw any game action. Philly had acquired Gardner Minshew via trade, as Urban Meyer ended the strange run of Minshew receiving first-team reps ahead of Trevor Lawrence‘s rookie year. Weeks later, the Eagles sent Flacco back to the Jets, who had seen Zach Wilson go down with a knee injury.

Flacco, 39, will now replace Minshew as Anthony Richardson‘s Colts backup. Indianapolis landed the 17th-year veteran on a one-year deal with $4.5MM guaranteed. Flacco had wanted to stay with the Browns, expressing his fondness for Cleveland on several occasions during a stunning run to Comeback Player of the Year honors. Despite Flacco piloting a depleted Browns offense to the playoffs, the team eyed Jameis Winston and Jacoby Brissett instead of authorizing a second contract. Winston is now Deshaun Watson‘s backup.

Philly had been on the lookout for a backup quarterback to replace Marcus Mariota, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson indicated, and Pickett will step into that role. The Eagles have the former No. 20 overall pick signed through 2025; he is due guarantees of $1.98MM (2024) and $2.62MM (2025). Reports out of Pittsburgh pointed to Pickett wanting out once he learned Russell Wilson would be given the starting job; the third-year passer will certainly not be a threat to Hurts. Mariota signed with the Commanders early in free agency.

Richardson is recovering from shoulder surgery, but last year’s No. 4 overall pick has resumed throwing. Still, Richardson needed to leave multiple games due to injury last year; he is a raw talent who possesses a dual-threat skillset. After Flacco did not sign with a team until Nov. 20 last year — and that came initially as a Browns practice squad deal — it seems likely he will be needed at some point for the 2024 Colts. If Flacco plays 60% of the Colts’ offensive snaps, he can pocket $1MM, Caplan adds.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/19/24

March 19th, 2024 at 8:00pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Philadelphia Eagles

Bills, Colts Interested In S Mike Edwards; S Julian Blackmon Visits Buffalo

March 19th, 2024 at 5:11pm CST by Sam Robinson

Just ahead of free agency, the Bills disbanded one of the 21st century’s top safety duos by cutting Jordan Poyer. Micah Hyde remains unsigned, but after seven years of the Poyer-Hyde tandem, the Bills have shifted in a different direction.

With both players going into their age-33 season, it is understandable the Bills viewed another year with this successful duo as a bridge too far. The Dolphins have since added Poyer on a lower-cost contract. The Bills are still looking for answers to fill the veterans’ spots. Two options — on what quickly became a crowded safety market — have emerged.

The Bills scheduled meetings with Julian Blackmon and Mike Edwards, according to Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz and the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson. Buffalo looks to have one box checked at the position, re-signing Taylor Rapp, but another starter-caliber solution will be necessary for the four-time reigning AFC East winners.

Colts GM Chris Ballard authorized third contracts for Kenny Moore and Grover Stewart this offseason, re-signing Tyquan Lewis and Taven Bryan as well. One of the few players from PFR’s top 50 free agents still available, Blackmon could still be in the team’s plans. But the former second-round pick is gauging his options on a market that became saturated with experienced safety starters.

In addition to Hyde, the Seahawks and Broncos made Jamal Adams, Quandre Diggs and Justin Simmons available. The Saints cut Marcus Maye, while the Bears released Eddie Jackson. These players’ availability makes Blackmon, Edwards, Hyde and other UFAs’ quest to land notable contracts more difficult.

Blackmon is just 25, however, and should be a starter somewhere next season. Kamren Curl‘s underwhelming Rams contract did reveal a divide between what the Packers gave Xavier McKinney and the lower ceiling for the rest of the market this offseason. No other safety collected more than $7.5MM per year. It is safe to assume Blackmon, despite being a four-year Colts starter who played across the secondary in Gus Bradley‘s scheme, will land midlevel money at best — perhaps on a short-term deal as a way to improve his stock for another free agency run.

Edwards spent last season with the Chiefs, being thrust into a starting role following Bryan Cook‘s season-ending injury in early December. The former Buccaneers safety, who has now started in two Super Bowls, joined the Chiefs on a low-cost deal last year. He intercepted two passes — the second during Kansas City’s playoff run — and recovered two fumbles, returning one 97 yards during Week 18. Edwards, 27, played 97% of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps in Super Bowl LVIII.

The Colts also met with Edwards, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets. He would seem to profile as a lower-cost solution for Indianapolis, which has been busy retaining defenders this month. Blackmon departing would leave a hole at safety — on a defense already needing more help at outside corner.

Colts To Re-Sign DT Taven Bryan

March 19th, 2024 at 2:39pm CST by Sam Robinson

For the first time since his Jaguars rookie contract expired, Taven Bryan has a deal in place that would allow him to play for the same team in consecutive seasons.

The Colts are re-signing the former first-round defensive tackle on a one-year deal, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. This follows a 2023 agreement between the parties. The Colts continue to be active in retaining talent, with this move coming after the team re-signed Kenny Moore, Grover Stewart and Tyquan Lewis.

Bryan’s disappointing stint in Jacksonville saw him serve as mostly a backup. He had a one-year stop in Cleveland in 2022 and started a career-high 16 games, earning him a contract from the Colts last offseason.

He got into all 17 games for his new squad, starting seven contests in 2023. He finished the campaign with 22 tackles, two sacks, and one forced fumble. Pro Football Focus ranked him only 99th among 130 qualifying interior defenders, although he did land in the top-half of his position for his pass-rush ability.

The Colts should return most of their defensive tackle corps in 2024, with DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart getting the bulk of the snaps at the position. Bryan and Eric Johnson II pretty much split the leftover snaps in 2023, but the team has since brought in Raekwon Davis for even more depth.

Minor NFL Transactions: 3/14/24

March 14th, 2024 at 9:44pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Chicago Bears

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New York Jets

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Colts, QB Joe Flacco Agree To Deal

March 13th, 2024 at 11:14pm CST by Adam La Rose

Joe Flacco enjoyed a highly impressive late-season re-emergence with the Browns in 2023, but Cleveland elected to add Jameis Winston as a backup quarterback for 2024. Flacco has found a new opportunity for next season, though.

The reigning Comeback Player of the Year has agreed to a one-year deal with the Colts, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. He adds the contract is worth up to $8.7MM and includes $4.5MM guaranteed. Flacco will thus be able to meet his stated goal of continuing his career for at least one more season, while taking the place of Gardner Minshew as the Colts’ backup to Anthony Richardson. Adam Caplan of Pro Football Network reports the Flacco pact includes incentives for playing time, wins, a playoff berth and postseason victories totaling $3.7MM.

Minshew agreed to a two-year deal with the Raiders at the onset of the negotiating window. That pact includes $15MM guaranteed and can be worth up to $25MM, leading many to believe he could compete for the starting role in Vegas. The Browns, meanwhile, inked Winston to a one-year deal worth a similar maximum value to the one Flacco has taken. Now, the latter and Indianapolis have struck a deal to meet each other’s needs.

Cleveland endured a slew of injuries on offense in 2023, including Deshaun Watson being lost for the campaign with a shoulder injury. The team identified Flacco as an insurance option for its other passers, but in short order it was the former Super Bowl MVP at the helm. Flacco took on starting duties to close out the regular season, averaging a stunning 323 passing yards per game. Without Nick Chubb in the fold, it was the 39-year-old’s play (coupled with a stout defense) which guided the Browns into the postseason (during which time, to be fair, his interception troubles became a major issue).

Both player and team expressed a willingness to work out a deal, with Flacco publicly stating his preference to remain in Cleveland. It had been expected that the longtime Ravens starter would reach the market, however, and the Winston deal confirmed the Browns would not pursue a re-up. Now, Flacco will take on a new QB2 role behind Richardson, whose rookie season was limited to just four games.

After being drafted fourth overall last April, Richardson joined Indianapolis with the expectation he would put an end to the team’s search for a permanent Andrew Luck successor. A healthy campaign will go a long way to determining his ability to reach that target. Flacco, meanwhile, will be in place as a capable backup after Minshew nearly did enough for the Colts to win the division in 2023 upon taking the reins. The former has stated an intention of playing at least two more years, and a strong showing in 2024 would help his chances of doing so.

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