Indianapolis Colts News & Rumors

Colts Retain Ronnie Harrison, Genard Avery

March 13th, 2024 at 9:34pm CST by Ely Allen

The Colts have kept a number of familiar faces home this offseason by re-signing the likes of Grover Stewart, Kenny Moore, Tyquan Lewis, and Rigoberto Sanchez. Add two more names to that list as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that defensive end Genard Avery and linebacker Ronnie Harrison have each signed one-year deals to return to Indianapolis in 2024.

Avery was set to be a potential contributor to the defensive front last year just two years removed from a strong season with the Eagles in which he started 12 games and set a career high in total tackles with 43. The Memphis product struggled to make the Buccaneers roster the following year and spent the beginning of the season on their practice squad. He got about two months on the active roster before being placed on injured reserve with an abdomen injury.

He signed with the Colts to add some pass-rushing depth last summer on a one-year deal, but Avery ended up needing season-ending knee surgery before the season even began. The LCL/meniscus issue that sidelined him for his entire 2023 campaign seems to be progressing well enough that Indianapolis has opted in for another year.

The team has also extended a second one-year contract to Harrison, who spent most of last year on the team’s practice squad, a first for the Alabama-product. Over his first five seasons in the NFL, Harrison mostly served as a starter for the Jaguars and Browns in bit of a hybrid linebacker and safety role, typically spending more time at safety or in the slot than in the box. Over that period, Harrison started 45 games in 67 appearances. He has had some trouble with injury, as well, though, missing 15 games over that stretch.

Harrison wasn’t promoted to the active roster this year until late-November, in time for a Week 11 matchup with the Buccaneers. He stayed on the active roster for the rest of season, starting three of seven game appearances, playing more linebacker than safety for the first time in his career, while still splitting snaps between the two. Harrison found ways to be productive despite the limited time, nabbing two interceptions (one a pick-six), two passes defensed, a sack, a tackle for a loss, and a quarterback hit.

Both players will once again attempt to work their way into the lineup in 2024. With Julian Blackmon hitting free agency, the team may attempt to bump Harrison back into a starting strong safety role. Avery, on the other hand, will hope to finally get an opportunity to contribute to the Colts in the regular season.

RB AJ Dillon Eyeing Deal With Cowboys, Giants, Colts

March 13th, 2024 at 8:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

Most of the top available running backs have quickly found a new home this offseason. The 2024 free agent class featured several prominent names, and they have switched teams (in certain cases, remaining in the division while doing so). AJ Dillon is among the best remaining backfield options, and he appears to have a shortlist of destinations.

The former Packers back has interest in a deal with the Cowboys, Giants and Colts, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. Dallas could indeed be a suitor for Dillon (although nothing is imminent at this time), colleague Jane Slater adds. Slater also notes a Cowboys reunion with Ezekiel Elliott is not in the team’s plans as things currently stand.

Dallas saw Tony Pollard take a deal with the Titans in the early portion of the negotiating window, a departure which did come as a major surprise. Pollard took on undisputed lead back duties with Elliott out of the picture last year, and his efficiency saw a notable decline. Still, eyebrows have been raised at the lack of action on the veteran market with respect to RBs for the Cowboys. The team’s second-leading rusher in 2023 was Rico Dowdle, who is unsigned.

The Giants also lost a 2023 franchise tag recipient in the form of Saquon Barkley. He made an intra-NFC East swap by joining the Eagles on a three-year deal, after the Giants did not submit a new offer this offseason. New York has, however, responded by bringing in Devin Singletary. The latter landed a three-year, $19.5MM pact to serve as the Giants’ lead back, so any Dillion arrangement would see him play as a backup or part of a tandem as he did in Green Bay with Aaron Jones.

Indianapolis appeared destined to trade Jonathan Taylor for much of the 2023 offseason, but he and the Colts ultimately worked out an extension. The 2021 rushing champion will be tasked with carrying the load next season and beyond, so like the Giants the Colts have less of a need in the backfield than the Cowboys. With Anthony Richardson at quarterback after a four-game rookie season, though, Indianapolis will no doubt prioritize a strong ground game.

Dillon played sparingly as a rookie in 2020, but since then he has seen a consistent workload serving as a change-of-pace compared to Jones. The 25-year-old totaled 1,573 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground between the 2021 and ’22 seasons, but he regressed last season. Dillion saw his yards per carry average drop to a career-low 3.4 in 2023, something which has no doubt hurt his market. If at least one of the three teams on his radar reciprocates his interest, though, a deal could be worked out somewhat quickly.

Colts To Sign DT Raekwon Davis

March 12th, 2024 at 5:04pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins have Zach Sieler locked down via the extension he signed last year, but they are losing their other two defensive line starters. Following Christian Wilkins‘ defection to the Raiders, Raekwon Davis is leaving as well.

Davis is heading to Indianapolis, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting the young D-tackle is signing a two-year deal worth $14MM in base value. A four-year Dolphins cog, Davis started 48 games for the team. Despite the Colts re-signing Grover Stewart on Monday to stay in place alongside DeForest Buckner, the Colts evidently viewed this as a big enough need, and another notable veteran contract became necessary.

Davis only graded as Pro Football Focus’ 79th interior defender among 130 qualifiers, far behind Buckner (12th) and Stewart (22nd). Still, the free agent addition was better than the Colts’ DT3 from last season, as Taven Bryan ranked 99th on that same list.

Bryan is currently a free agent, so Davis will likely slide into his spot in the depth chart. Bryan, Eric Johnson, and Adetomiwa Adebawore accounted for 740 snaps last season, so Davis could see a significant role on Gus Bradley’s defense, even as a backup.

With Wilkins and Davis gone (and Emmanuel Ogbah having been released), the Dolphins are lacking depth on their defensive line. Other than Sieler, former UDFA Brandon Pili is the only other player who played defensive tackle for the Dolphins last season, and he was limited to 30 snaps (all coming in the first four weeks). Miami will surely look to add reinforcement either via free agency or the draft.

Mutual Interest Between Texans, Danielle Hunter; Colts In Pursuit

March 12th, 2024 at 3:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

3:41pm: The Colts are also in the Hunter market, according to ESPN.com’s Stephen Holder. Not known for big-ticket spending on outside FAs, Indy also saw progress from homegrown DEs Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo last season. Samson Ebukam remains under contract as well. But the team, which did once add Justin Houston in free agency, is looking into what it will cost to bring Hunter to Indianapolis.

2:11pm: The Texans may be eyeing what would amount to an edge rusher swap with the Vikings. After Jonathan Greenard committed to Minnesota early in the legal tampering period, Houston is eyeing the player Greenard is likely set to replace.

Mutual interest exists between the Texans and Danielle Hunter, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reports. While no signing is imminent, the Texans have lost a key starter. Greenard led Houston with 12.5 sacks last season, providing a quality bookend for Will Anderson. Although Chase Young is available, Hunter has a more extensive track record of sack production.

This is Hunter’s first run in free agency. The youngest player in NFL history to reach 50 sacks, Hunter soon signed what became a team-friendly Vikings extension. That 2018 agreement became a source of tension for Hunter, and the Vikings reached multiple reworkings with their impact sack artist. While injuries interrupted Hunter during the early part of this decade, he has returned to form over the past two seasons. That included a 16.5-sack 2023.

Hunter, 29, led the NFL with 23 tackles for loss last season. He drew trade interest at the deadline, though with Greenard on the team at that point, the Texans were not on the radar. With Greenard heading to the Twin Cities and Bryce Huff (Eagles), Leonard Floyd (49ers), Za’Darius Smith (Browns) and Dorance Armstrong (Cowboys) committed elsewhere, Texans interest in Hunter adds up. With a rookie QB contract on the books, Houston has a chance to add a big name opposite Anderson. But options are dwindling.

The Texans have not waded into the deep waters of this year’s market, despite the opportunity Stroud and Anderson’s rookie contracts present. They have agreed to terms with Denico Autry and Azeez Al-Shaair on midlevel deals, however, bolstering DeMeco Ryans‘ defense. Hunter would act as a bigger needle-moving presence, having reeled off five double-digit sack seasons in his prolific nine-year Vikings run. An outside linebacker over the past two years, Hunter also spent six seasons as a 4-3 defensive end in Mike Zimmer‘s scheme.

Colts To Re-Sign CB Kenny Moore

March 12th, 2024 at 2:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Chris Ballard has shown a steady track record of retaining homegrown players. This now extends to third contracts. After retaining Grover Stewart, the eighth-year Colts GM has struck a deal with Kenny Moore.

The veteran slot cornerback is re-signing with the Colts, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting a three-year, $30MM deal is coming Moore’s way. This will be a record-setting deal for a pure slot corner, at $10MM per year. Moore has been one of the NFL’s top slot players in recent years. After angling for a raise, the former UDFA will end up receiving it in free agency. KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson reported the sides were talks earlier this afternoon.

Coming off his Pro Bowl nod, Moore pushed for a new contract in 2022. With two years remaining on the inside cover man’s previous deal, the Colts did not come off their stance. No known talks transpired in 2023, and Moore played out his contract. Despite the slot market having stalled out and Moore going into his age-29 season, he still looks to have done well. Of course, the guarantees here will better illustrate that.

The Colts gave Moore a four-year, $33MM deal following his second season, paying him in 2019 due to the CBA allowing undrafted players to re-sign a year early. Like Stewart, Moore rewarded the Colts on this contract; both players brought in during Ballard’s first offseason as GM will be kept on contracts that run into their 30s. Corners in their 30s bring more volatility compared to DTs in the back halves of their careers, but Moore has been Indy’s top cornerback for several years.

Indianapolis ranked third in defensive DVOA in the slot compared to 25th in outside coverage. At 5-foot-9, Moore has made his bones in the slot. Moore’s 13 INTs from the slot position are five more than any other player since 2017 (h/t ESPN’s Ed Werder).

Although this market has dried up in the years since Chris Harris‘ Broncos deal came off the books back in 2020, the Colts are making Moore another commitment. With the team facing big questions at its boundary corner positions — after a year that brought the Stephon Gilmore trade and Isaiah Rodgers gambling ban — Moore will be back to anchor the CB group.

Colts To Re-Sign P Rigoberto Sanchez

March 12th, 2024 at 10:41am CST by Ben Levine

Rigoberto Sanchez has spent his entire career with the Colts, and that is set to continue in 2024 and beyond. Indianapolis is finalizing a new deal with the veteran punter, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Sanchez will remain in place on a three-year deal, Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star adds. The 29-year-old played out a four-year, $11.6MM deal signed in 2019. Instead of testing the market for outside suitors, he will continue in Indianapolis on a deal which Fox59’s Mike Chappell notes is worth $7.5MM.

Sanchez has been a mainstay for the Colts since the 2017 campaign, appearing in 96 games over his seven-year career. After missing the entire 2022 campaign with an Achilles injury, he bounced back and appeared in all 17 games in 2023. He actually set a new career high with 48.3 yards per punt this past year, and he was the only punter in the NFL to not record a touchback.

The 29-year-old watched the punter market unfold over the past 24 hours, as Cameron Johnston and Tommy Townsend joined new squads. Instead of switching cities, Sanchez will be sticking in Indy for the foreseeable future.

Colts To Re-Sign DT Grover Stewart, DE Tyquan Lewis

March 11th, 2024 at 3:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Two key pieces of the Colts’ defense will remain in place for 2024 and beyond. Defensive tackle Grover Stewart is re-signing on a three-year, $39MM deal, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. Meanwhile, defensive end Tyquan Lewis has re-upped on a new deal, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The latter’s pact is two years in length, per Joel Erickson of the Indy Star.

Stewart’s $13MM-per-year accord will bring $25.73MM guaranteed, topping his previous Colts contract in that department. In terms of full guarantees, Stewart will see $17.99MM. Stewart’s 2025 salary ($7.74MM) becomes guaranteed on Day 3 of the 2025 league year, per the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson, though the team guaranteed the DT’s 2025 roster bonus ($4MM) at signing. That provides a fairly good indication he will be with the Colts next year.

Stewart was one of the best defensive tackles set to reach the market in 2024. Especially with Chris Jones and Christian Wilkins landing monster deals of their own, the 30-year-old could have fared well on the open market. Instead, he will remain an integral part of the Colts’ D-line.

A durable inside presence, Stewart incurred a six-game PED suspension last year. The veteran’s absence showed against the run. Colts allowed 107.9 rushing yards per game with Stewart suited up; during his six-game ban, Indianapolis yielded 153 on the ground. The veteran DT also provided some support in the pass rush, totaling four sacks in 2022 and a career-high eight QB hits in his suspension-abbreviated slate.

Stewart will turn 31 later this year, limiting the length on his next contract. There was some belief that the former fourth-round pick could approach the three-year, $30.75MM extension he signed with the organization following his rookie contract. Stewart managed to top that pact in terms of total money, and he earned the same term.

Lewis was a second-round pick by the Colts in 2018, but he’s struggled to provide the upside the organization surely envisioned. The defensive lineman has started only 16 of his 65 regular season games, and he’s missed major chunks of games in four of his six professional seasons.

Fortunately for the player’s free agency fortunes, he had one of the most productive seasons of his career in 2023. Lewis got into all 17 games for Indy, finishing with career highs in tackles (25), tackles for loss (nine), QB hits (13), and sacks (four, tie).

Colts, WR Michael Pittman Jr. Finalizing Deal

March 11th, 2024 at 10:26am CST by Adam La Rose

Michael Pittman Jr.‘s immediate future was already assured given the Colts’ decision to place the franchise tag on him. The team’s top wideout could be in place well beyond 2024, however, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the sides are working on a long-term deal which could be finalized today.

Providing financial details on the agreement, Rapoport notes it will be a three-year deal with a base value of $70MM. $46MM of that total is guaranteed, and Pittman could earn up to $71.5MM. This accord will take the place of his $21.8MM franchise tag.

Pittman represented an obvious candidate for a new Colts deal given his importance to the team’s passing game. The 26-year-old saw his target share increase in each of his four seasons in the NFL, and that figure has comfortably reached triple-digits every year since 2021. He topped 1,000 receiving yards that year and again in 2023, but his number have pointed to good-not-great production in the eyes of many. Paying out a one-year tender (via the tag) at an average of the top-five receiver earners was thus seen as challenging for the team.

Instead, that situation has now been avoided with a multi-year pact, albeit one which will increase Pittman’s AAV. This new deal will bring an average of $23.3MM, a figure which ranks eighth in the league amongst wideouts and outpaces the value of the tag. The Colts are banking on continued development while also getting ahead of the next wave of WR deals. Ja’Marr Chase, Justin Jefferson and Brandon Aiyuk are among the up-and-coming producers at the position in line for monster extensions as early as this offseason. They could each move past Pittman on their respective accords.

Indianapolis has made multiple draft investments in recent years in a bid to find other cost-effective wideouts to complement Pittman. That effort has included using a second-round pick on Alec Pierce in 2022 and a third-rounder on Josh Downs last April. No pass-catcher has matched Pittman’s importance to the Colts’ offense, however, and the USC product will remain a focal point moving forward. He, along with quarterback Anthony Richardson and running back Jonathan Taylor will comprise the backbone of Indianapolis’ offense in 2024 and beyond.

The Colts will still have plenty of spending power for the offseason; this extension will likely lower Pittman’s 2024 cap number despite the AAV coming in at a higher rate than the franchise tag. More moves involving offensive playmakers could be coming, but the team’s top internal priority has now been taken care of.

Colts, LB Zaire Franklin Agree To Extension

March 11th, 2024 at 8:03am CST by Adam La Rose

Zaire Franklin was under contract for 2024, but he will remain in place for years to come on a new, lucrative Colts contract. Indianapolis has agreed to a three-year, $31.26MM extension with the veteran linebacker, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.

Franklin has been with the Colts since his rookie year in 2018, but his value to the team over that span has increased dramatically over the past two seasons in particular. The former seventh-rounder has taken on full-time starting duties over that span, becoming even more of a centerpiece when the decision was made to move on from Shaquille Leonard.

Between the 2022 and ’23 campaigns, Franklin has totaled 346 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 12 pass breakups and four forced fumbles. That production had him in line for a notable raise compared to the three-year, $12MM extension he inked in 2022. ESPN’s Stephen Holder confirms the 27-year-old was eyeing a new pact reflecting his value to the Colts’ defense. The team certainly agreed with that sentiment, and long-term security for both sides is now in place. The Syracuse alum will become one of only nine inside linebackers averaging over $10MM per year once this extension kicks in.

In spite of Franklin’s strong play last season, the Colts ranked 24th against the run with an average of 124 yards per game allowed on the ground. Improvement in the front seven will no doubt be a key priority for general manager Chris Ballard, who has other notable pending free agents to try and retain. Among those is defensive tackle Grover Stewart, who could be set to cash in on the continued upward movement of the position’s market on a deal with an outside team.

Frankin is due $2.8MM in salary with a cap hit of $3.36MM in 2024 under the terms of his previous pact. Adjusting the latter figure will now be an option but in any case, the Colts will have one of their top defensive playmakers in the fold for years to come. The team entered Monday with over $49MM in cap space, so plenty of financial flexibility remains for further moves.

Suitors Emerging For Chiefs’ L’Jarius Sneed

March 10th, 2024 at 9:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

MARCH 10: Add the Dolphins to the list of Sneed interested parties. Miami is not in good cap shape and may well lose both Christian Wilkins and Robert Hunt in free agency. But with the team cutting Xavien Howard, cornerback help will be sought. The Dolphins are believed to have looked into the prospect of acquiring Sneed, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes.

MARCH 6: As expected, the Chiefs were among the teams which applied the franchise tag before Tuesday’s deadline, keeping L’Jarius Sneed off the free agent market in the process. The standout corner is far from certain to remain in Kansas City, though, as a tag-and-trade maneuver is on the table.

Sneed has served as a full-time starter for nearly his entire Chiefs tenure (70 regular and postseason games), developing into a key member of the team’s vaunted secondary. The tag will cost $19.8MM in 2024, though, using up significant cap space on a team already needing a new deal for Chris Jones. The latter is the defending champions’ priority, and a re-up will not come cheaply. A long-term Sneed pact could also approach or reach the $20MM-per-year-mark his one-year tender is valued at.

Knowing Sneed could very well be on the trade block, Tyler Dragon of USA Today Sports reports seven teams have emerged as interested suitors. That list consists of the Vikings, Colts, Titans, Patriots, Lions, Falcons and Jaguars. Many of those teams are among those set to have the most spending power ahead of free agency and therefore the ones most capable of absorbing Sneed’s cap hit as it stands while working out a lucrative long-term deal.

Of course, teams like Minnesota, Indianapolis and Jacksonville could see sizable changes to their cap situations in the near future. The Vikings have two of the top pending free agents in Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter, and meeting the stated objective of retaining both will use up much of their cap space. The Colts and Jags, meanwhile, used the franchise tag on wideout Michael Pittman Jr. and edge rusher Josh Allen yesterday; long-term deals with either could lower their 2024 cap figures and free up room for an aggressive Sneed pursuit.

The Falcons – presumed to be a strong Cousins suitor – will likely wait until their quarterback addition has been made before authorizing a costly move (in terms of draft capital and finances) like a Sneed acquisition. New England and Tennessee rank second and third in respective cap space as things stand, meaning those teams could outbid other suitors and immediately make a deal for the 27-year-old a priority. Detroit reportedly has cornerback at or near the top of the organization’s offseason to-do list, so a Sneed trade would come as little surprise.

With respect to compensation, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer predicts a second-round pick could be required to convince the Chiefs to green-light a trade. Losing an effective contributor will no doubt induce Kansas City to generate as many bidders as possible and land better draft capital than what a 2025 free agent departure would yield (a third-round compensatory pick the following year). With free agency one week away, it will be interesting to see how much of a market develops for Sneed if the Chiefs move forward with exploring a trade.

Load More Posts