Source: Grant Halverson / Getty
INDIANAPOLIS – The list is drying up in a hurry.
With Week Two of free agency underway, the Colts have made 11 in-house moves of the re-sign or extension variety. They have signed 2 newcomers. And 4 of their own free agents have joined other teams.
This article will keep you updated throughout free agency of the comings and goings.
Here is an updated list of the Colts 2024 free agency.
Newcomers/Re-Signs
LB-Zaire Franklin (Age: 27): A deserved pay (3 year extension at $31.2 million) increase for the former 7th round pick. With some key veteran voices on defense potentially hitting free agency (Kenny Moore and Julian Blackmon), it made a lot of sense to reward Franklin. The career for Franklin is a tremendous story, as this contract will now span a 9-year run for him. Franklin was heading into a contract year, so the Colts reward him with one season left on his deal. And this new extension now pays him as a legit, high-level, linebacker starter, and not just the special teamer from his previous deal.
DT-Grover Stewart (Age: 30): With a 3-year re-signing of the last remaining pick from Chris Ballard’s first draft with the Colts, Big Grove returning keeps arguably the team’s biggest strength intact. The Colts really felt the absence of Stewart last season, with no young defensive tackle ready to fill his void. Hence the reason for another healthy contract going to Stewart.
WR-Michael Pittman Jr. (Age: 26): Thanks to the use of a franchise for the first time since 2013, Michael Pittman Jr. is under contract for the 2024 season. The Colts then made sure their top wideout was here for Anthony Richardson’s most formative years when they inked MPJ to a 3-year extension on Monday.
DL-Tyquan Lewis (Age: 29): It always made sense for the Colts to retain Lewis, which they have by re-signing him on a 2-year deal. After years of devastating injuries, Lewis played in all 17 games this past season. This marked just the 2nd time in Lewis’ 6 NFL years in which he played double-digit games in a season. Per usual, Lewis was a productive and versatile defensive line piece. Lewis had torn his patellar in the month of October in each of the last two seasons. Late in the season, the Colts were actually putting Lewis on the field in some of their 4-man rush packages, moving Kwity Paye to the bench. Lewis is an important versatile guy among a position group that rotates a lot of bodies.
P-Rigoberto Sanchez (Age: 29): The long-term Indy punter was my final Colts free agent in the the “should bring back’ category. And the Colts are doing that on a deal reportedly 3 years in length. Sanchez returned from an August 2022 torn Achilles to punt all season for the Colts. Sanchez ended the season with a career-best net punting average of 42.8 yards per punt. Amazingly, Sanchez did not have a single touchback in 68 punts.
CB-Kenny Moore II (Age: 28): In a pass-happy league with the Colts playing much better QBs next season, a versatile guy like Moore II continues to be important. And the Colts made that clear with a 3-year extension for Moore II. Bouncing back from a 2022 season to forget, Moore II was much closer to his old self this past season. Plus, the Colts have no serious young nickel cornerback option on the roster for Moore II to pass the torch to in 2024.
DT-Raekwon Davis (Age: 26): The first outside free agent signing in 2024 now is the biggest defender on the Colts. At 6-7 and 325 pounds, Davis, a 2020 second-round pick, comes from Miami where he started 46 games over the last 4 years. On a deal of 2 years and $14 million, that’s a notable pay day when you consider the presence of DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart already starting. Defensive tackle depth, particularly behind Stewart, was an issue last season, so Davis will certainly improve that.
LB/S-Ronnie Harrison Jr. (Age: 26): It was quite the interesting first season with the Colts for Harrison Jr. He was initially a safety in camp, got cut and was brought back as a linebacker. The Colts then needed Harrison Jr. at linebacker, in life after Shaquille Leonard. Harrison Jr., a former 3rd round pick of the Jaguars, started in December vs. Cincinnati (with E.J. Speed also out) and he recorded an INT in that game. In the final two weeks of the season, with the Colts in scramble mode to replace Julian Blackmon, Harrison Jr. then started at safety. Harrison Jr. brings quite the unique defensive versatility at linebacker and safety, and should provide some depth there, with those areas having questions in rounding out their respective position groups. It’s reportedly a one-year re-sign deal for Harrison Jr.
DE-Genard Avery (Age: 28): An August training camp injury last year ended Avery’s first season with the Colts, with him going on injured reserve in the preseason. Avery has played 62 career games, since entering the league in 2018 and has 8.5 career sacks. During the 2023 training camp, Avery flashed a bit and looked to have a potential roster spot, so that’s why I had him as a possibility re-sign guy. The re-sign of Avery is reportedly a one-year deal, with him competing for a roster spot off the edge.
QB-Joe Flacco (Age: 39): Chris Ballard is a man of his word in finding a new backup quarterback for Anthony Richardson. Flacco does not match up stylistically to Richardson but he proved last year he can still play winning football late in a season. Shane Steichen did have a brief overlap with Flacco a couple of years ago. Flacco is reportedly signing in Indy for $4.5 million guaranteed on a one year deal.
RB-Trey Sermon (Age: 25): A restricted free agent, the Colts elected to bring Sermon back on a one-year deal. It’s possible Sermon is the team’s backup running back this coming fall, depending on other moves. Sermon, 25, averaged 4.6 yards per carry on 35 rushes for 160 yards last season in Indy. The team still has other running backs in Tyler Goodson and Evan Hull on their roster to provide some depth behind Jonathan Taylor, with Zack Moss now in Cincinnati. Sermon is a former 3rd round pick.
DT-Taven Bryan (Age: 27): I’m a little surprised to see Bryan back, although his worst moments in 2023 came with the Colts playing him out of position at the nose tackle spot. With the Grover Stewart suspension, the Colts actually relied on Bryan for 7 starts in playing all 17 games, and it didn’t go well. Bryan is better suited to play in sub packages, and more behind DeForest Buckner. Of course, that spot is where the Colts hope Adetomiwa Adebawore, a 4th round pick from last year, takes a jump in his second season. Bryan had 22 total tackles and 2.0 sacks in his 343 defensive snaps last year. He has also made 33 career starts with Jacksonville and Cleveland. I don’t look at Bryan as having a locked in roster spot by any means.
OL-Danny Pinter (Age: 27): Entering free agency, I viewed a Pinter return similar to giving a Jack Mewhort or a Tyquan Lewis another one-year chance to prove they can stay healthy. And that is what is happening. A broken ankle back in August ended the final year of Pinter’s rookie contract. The Ball State product has made 7 total starts with the Colts. Pinter trained around the team throughout his rehab. A 2020 fifth-round pick, Pinter should be viewed as competing for a backup interior spot, with Wesley French still under contract, too. The Colts should not rule out drafting a potential center of the future come the middle rounds.
Departures
QB-Gardner Minshew (Age: 27): Simply, the Colts could not provide what Minshew wanted in free agency—a realistic shot at legit playing time. So, backup quarterback is a definite need for the Colts in 2024.
RB-Zack Moss (Age: 26): In a similar manner to Minshew, there are reasons for the Colts to want Moss back, but this is a two-way street in free agency. And we saw the emphasis on that for Moss in him signing with the Bengals early in free agency, on a 2-year deal reportedly for $8 million. There’s no denying Moss had a really nice contract year. The problem for him in gauging a free agent market is he plays a position that teams don’t put a ton of value on, and this 2024 free agency class at running back has several pretty accomplished guys. Jonathan Taylor is the obvious bell cow, so it’ll be interesting how the rest of the RB depth chart plays out (Trey Sermon is a restricted free agent, Tyler Goodson is under contract, Evan Hull is under contract). The Colts could try and save a little money at QB2 and RB2 by moving on from Minshew and Moss, and that is being seen.
WR-Isaiah McKenzie (Age: 28): Suspended for the final 3 games of the regular season, McKenzie’s time with the Colts realistically ended then. Mostly a returner for Indy, catching just 11 balls for 82 yards in 117 offensive snaps (across 14 games). McKenzie is reportedly signing with the Giants on a 1-year deal.
DE-Jake Martin (Age: 27): Martin actually played in all 17 games for the Colts this past season, finishing the year with 2.0 sacks and 7 tackles in 191 defensive snaps, but he’s moving on to Chicago on a one-year deal.
To Be Determined
S-Julian Blackmon (Age: 25): It’s hard to pick a definite order/ranking of Moore, Stewart and Blackmon. But the injury history for Blackmon and the fact that the Colts do have a couple of other (unproven) drafted safeties is why I put him third on this list. Still though, just pop in film of the season finale loss to the Texans if you forget what Blackmon brings to the Colts defense. Blackmon has missed 18 games in 4 years. When healthy though, he’s a key and versatile playmaker and communicator. The Colts would be very wise to try and bring back Blackmon.
