Indianapolis Colts Free Agents: Swipe Left Or Swipe Right…
The Indianapolis Colts 2024 season has come to an end. After a very disappointing season the Colts now face a pivotal offseason to help steer the franchise back in the right direction and back to winning ways. The first big topic on the Colts offseason agenda is deciding who among their own free agents they should re-sign.
The Colts currently have 18 players set to become unrestricted free agents at the end of the NFL year. So, today we are going to play a little game of swipe left (no) or swipe right (yes), made famous by a certain dating app, with the Colts upcoming free agents.
Center Ryan Kelly – Swipe Left
Ryan Kelly has been nothing short of amazing from day one since being drafted in 2016. Kelly has been a top 5 center in the league for most of his NFL career whiskey being named second team all-pro and to the pro bowl four times. However, the last two years his performances have started to show signs of decline. The Colts drafted Tanor Bortolini last year and the small sample size of snaps he took showed viewers that the Colts can move on from Kelly with Bortolini more than capable of taking on the starting center job.
Tight End Mo Alie-Cox – Swipe Left
The Colts tight end roll in 2024 was a collective disaster. Not one tight end showed out in any aspect of the game and because of that the offense suffered and had a big missing piece. Alie-Cox has been the Colts starting tight end the past couple years and his main strength has been his blocking in the run game. However, Alie-Cox just doesn’t bring enough to the offense to warrant re-signing to a new contract, both his blocking ability and receiving skills can be easily replicated and replaced in a younger and cheaper option.
Quarterback Joe Flacco – Swipe Left
Joe Flacco was brought in to be Anything Richardson’s back up however after a rollercoaster 2024 he ended up playing and starting in multiple games. Flacco was useful in 2024 when asked to step in and play however the Colts need a real competition in the quarterback room and not a 39 year old on his last legs of his career.
Linebacker E.J Speed – Swipe Left
E.J Speed went from an unheard of draft prospect in 2019 to a full time starting linebacker for the Colts in 2023. Speed stepped into the starting role in 2023 and racked up back to back 100 tackle seasons. However, Speed has been in reliable as a linebacker, missing tackles, being picked on in coverage and washed out by offensive lineman in the run game. The Colts need help at linebacker but re-signing Speed would be a mistake.
Safety Julian Blackmon – Swipe Right
The Colts current safety room for 2925 is as follows; Nick Cross, Rodney Thomas and Daniel Scott. Cross is the starting strong safety, Thomas needs to stick to playing strictly special teams and Scott is coming off bs k to bs k season ending injuries. The Colts need safety help and need it badly. Re-signing Blackmon would be a step in the right direction but not to be a starter, instead to be a veteran voice in the safety room and a versatile back up.
Wide Receiver Ashton Dulin – Swipe Right
Ashton Dulin is a low cost wide receiver who knows the offense well enough to step in when needed to and is an absolute stud gunner on special teams. It makes all the sense in the world to re-sign him providing the cost is still low.
Defensive Tackle Taven Bryan – Swipe Left
Taven Bryan signed for the Colts during the 2023 off-season and then was re-signed to another one year deal last year. The Taven Bryan experience has been full of way more lows than highs and it’s time for the Colts to move on and look elsewhere for interior defensive line depth.
Defensive End Dayo Odeyingbo – Swipe Right
Dayo Odeyingbo started his Colts career off being selected in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft despite being still in the process of returning from a torn Achilles pre-draft. Odeyingbo has steadily improved over his four year career, which peaked in 2023 when he had a breakout year producing 8 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 38 tackles and 9 tackles for loss. His versatility gives the Colts a lot to work with and he certainly deserves a second contact in Indianapolis.
Center Danny Pinter – Swipe Right
Danny Pinter is another former Colts draft pick, he re-signed on a one year deal last year after coming to the end of his rookie contract. Pinter is a hardworking versatile offensive lineman who can start in a pinch at multiple positions. Teams need guts like Pinter and if the Colts plan on letting Kelly leave re-signing Pinter is an important move.
Tight End Kylen Granson – Swipe Left
The Colts tight end room might as well not have existed in 2024, stats prove it was close to being non-existent. No one tight end stood out or even showed anything close to a spark during the season. Granson was drafted to be the receiving tight end who could be moved around the line, he had shown nothing close to being a consistent contributor apart from in his drops.
Offensive Guard Will Fries – Swipe Right
Will Fries is probably the most important Colts free agent this offseason. He broke his leg during the season and the Colts could not replace him in the line up. With a big year in terms of transition along the offensive line it is paramount the Colts lock up one of their best young offensive linemen in Fries to a new contract. It is looking to be potentially less expensive since the injury but he rightfully deserves a good pay day.
Running Back Trey Sermon – Swipe Left
Sermon was brought in to spell Jonathan Taylor so he could be fresh when the team needed him most. Sermon was a below average running back with solid pass blocking and showed little as a receiver. There are better back up running backs in the league than Sermon and the Colts should look to add one of those instead.
Safety Ronnie Harrison, Offensive Guard Mark Glowinski, Cornerback David Long, Wide Receiver Juwann Winfree and Quarterback Sam Ehlinger – Swipe Left
Harrison is a below average safety turned linebacker who can be easily and should be replaced. Glowinski is a solid offensive lineman and maybe after training camp if he’s still around and the team need a depth guy then they could call him but they shouldn’t be in anyway liking to re-sign him now or during free agency. Long is a camp body at best and so is Winfree at receiver. Ehlinger is a good backup but the team needs real competition from the back up quarterback not a clipboard holder.
