With Goodwin getting tagged it means that Shaq Barrett may hit the market. This is one guy I would like to see us open the vault for if he hits the market. Doubt it happens (TB would be crazy to not find a way to extend him) but it would be nice.

5/100 is a 20 average?

I think he, Carl Lawson, and possibly Yannick Ngakoue will be among Ballard's top targets in free agency.

Henry not being tagged is a positive development.

Let someone else overpay for Barrett, there are many good edge rusher options on the free agent market.

Just sign Trent fuckin Williams and call it a day, fuck it 3rd and shorts will be unstoppable ok never mind just read he’ll probably resign with the 9ers so LT in the draft it is

I honestly don’t think we will do much. Looks like the best players will be tagged. I bet we sign a pass rusher and then fill out the roster with bargains. I think Hilton walks. We go bpa in the 1st in the draft and probably DL or OT in the second depending on our first pick. He’s been talking about resigning Nelson and Leonard since we drafted them. It’s almost here. They aren’t going to change now, we missed using their rookie window. So they will carry over a ton of cap again and then resign that draft class best we can.

I think they sign at least 2 DEs and a OT. It would be great if they'd swing for the fences with Williams, but more likely is something like Okung, Lawson, and Okwara. Nothing too pricey there but also upgrades at all positions leaving BPA as an option at 21.

I’m gonna say Lawson and a Tight end Ertz, Henry, or Smith and draft a LT

Vote me all-in on the Lawson team I think dude would fit great on this team and is on the verge of breaking out as a great pass rusher

I think this is a most likely scenario. Given the OT talent that’s being touted in this draft it seems likely we draft one high and plug him in for 10 years. There is good defensive front available in FA and not as much money to go around league wide. And if teams do start cutting talent to get under cap we can pick up some solid players at a decent price. Should be interesting to watch!

I'm really hoping they sign a vet OT with LT experience so as to not nearly force themselves to spend the 21st pick on an OT. I'd like to get Azeez Ojulari at 21 and Liam Eichenberg or Jalen Mayfield at 54. I think a veteran LT signing is key to allow them to take the risk of not getting one of the top OTs at 21.

If they do that I can see Lawson or Okwara. If we sign another I bet it’s resigning Muhammad. But I think Lawson would fit us really well. I hope we target him.

The options at OT will be good at 21. If Darrisaw and Slater are gone, I can see Radunz. I think he is the 4th best tackle. We could also use a 3-tech and Levi Onwuzurike is an option somewhere in there.

What I think they will really do is try to trade down and get back those picks they traded for Wentz, and then address OT, DL, and WR/TE in some way. Ballard won't pay A money for B talent in FA.

The Chiefs just cut both of their offensive tackles.

Bills released WR John Brown.... Love to add him!

Zak Keefer
@zkeefer
On @SiriusXMNFL, F.A. WR John Brown lists Steelers/Colts as 2 potential suitors. On Indy: "The way they use TY Hilton ... when we played those guys in the playoffs I walked off and I’m like, this team, they’re up and coming, they’re going to be a problem in the next few years."

This year especially Ballards patience could really pay off. Painful cuts are having to be made. Price for free agents will be reset much lower because of cap. There may be several guys willing to play on a one year contract with hopes that next year there will be a lot more money to throw around. There are so many ways we could go it will be interesting how Ballard handles this.

3-Tech? The Colts have the #2 3T in the NFL in Buckner. Certainly wouldn't take 3T in round 1, even if Barmore is there. For me, the debate is between DE and OT, and if Ojulari is there, IMO you take him because there's nothing comparable in this draft. You could get 80% of Darrisaw or Slater in Round 2 drafting Eichenberg or Radunz. It's the same reason I wouldn't take a WR before round 3, the class is so deep. Now, if Ojulari isn't there, definitely draft a OT, or possibly trade down if Darrisaw or Slater aren't there.

Or let's just sign Eric Fisher and have the best OL in the NFL for the next 5 years.

Doesnt he only have one leg?


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No? He tore his Achilles in the AFCCG, but he should be able to recover from that to start the 2021 season. He's started 113 of a possible 128 career regular season games, is a former #1 overall pick, and has been a Pro Bowler two of the last three seasons.

Wow, the LT FA market got a lot deeper with the releases of Fisher and Reiff. Potential starting caliber LTs available in FA:

Trent Williams
Eric Fisher
Riley Reiff
Alejandro Villanueva
Russell Okung

The sign a vet and draft a rookie in round 2 of a deep OT class strategy is looking better and better.

We do a rotation, we need to replace Autry’s snaps with someone versatile and spell Buckner at times while also replacing Stewart on third downs in a pass rush package. Autry had the second highest number of snaps on the defensive line. A FA DE would eat some of those snaps. But still need someone else on the interior at times to pair with Buckner besides Stewart. One injury and we have a huge hole on the interior.

I don’t know if they are looking at Ojulari. He is pretty light, I could see a later round pick on an Elerson Smith or Payton Turner. I think they go DE in FA.

I wouldn’t mind Fisher, assuming he recovers. But I don’t know if they can afford anything but a rookie contract at LT. Kelly is the highest paid center in the league. Smith is about to get a good payday. Nelson is about to be the highest paid guard in the league. That rookie contract is about to be very valuable.

I think bringing Autry back is a strong possibility. I could see the Colts doing that and still pursuing edge rushers in this deep free agent class for edge rushers. Lawson and Okwara are the top two guys most people have never heard of (I'd put Kerry Hyder in this category to a lesser extent as well), and both have the potential to be good edge rushers, but if the Colts are willing to open the wallet a bit, there are guys like Shaq Barrett, Bud Dupree, and Yannick Ngakoue available as well. Ballard seems to have a focus position every offseason, and it seems like DE is likely to be that position this offseason. I think Ballard will get what he believes the team needs in terms of edge rush through free agency. I also think he'll address LT there at least to the point that he can feel comfortable using the 21st pick on BPA. To me, Ojulari is BPA if he's on the board at 21, and there's very little question about that. His first NFL season will be his age 21 season, and to go along with his excellent physical traits, he already has several developed pass rush moves and countermoves, and he bends the edge like an elite pass rusher. He's listed at 6'3" 240-245, and if that's anywhere near accurate, that could easily become 6'3" 250-260 with NFL strength and conditioning without losing any athleticism, which is right around Justin Houston's playing weight. As far as paying a free agent LT, beyond the top few players, I think we are going to see a lot of 1 year prove it deals signed by very good players this year due to cap constraints. Given Fisher's injury and the current market, he could be relatively cheap for a starting LT of his caliber, and may want the security of a longer deal, even if it's not top of market. This team was already planning on spending $16 million on Castanzo, going 3/42-45 or so for a player like Fisher won't break them or stop them from signing any long term extensions they're planning on doing. It also allows them to take someone like Radunz who is more developmental without worrying about short term success.

Not likely to be ready by the beginning of the season. Its a torn achilles. How bad did he tell the attendant I don’t think anybody really knows. Most websites will tell you it’s anywhere from 4 to 12 months depending upon severity.

I think he’s worth looking at because he’s a really good lineman. I wouldn’t get carried away about him being ready for the season

My research said 6 to 9 months on average, and the sources that said 9 months were older studies. With medical technology advancing constantly and NFL players with money like Fisher having access to the best of it, I look at the shorter end of that average as most likely, though of course I'm sure the Colts and any other team would want a full medical workup before signing him. That said, LT and DE are both incredibly deep in this free agent class, so the Colts can walk away with all their needs met prior to the draft, and would be smart to do so IMO.

I wouldn’t want a lineman coming off an Achilles injury

Draft our next LT. The draft is deep, we are great at drafting/developing offensive lineman and we need to save money when possible.

I wouldn’t mind bringing Autry back. I see a couple of teams are interested in him though. He is versatile and we got a lot of use out of him.

If we go lighter DE, I think I like Ngakoue the best. He has had steady pressure numbers his entire career and I think he is top ten in the league. He is what we want Turay to be. I like Lawson, then Okwara for a strong side DE. I’m not down on Olujari, I think he will be good, I just wonder if we are considering him bc he is on the lighter side. I was reading he is lighter than those numbers. In the 230 range.

I guess it comes down to how much the project the 2017 class eating of the cap. If stampede blue is estimating 18 million left for FA. Not a lot. And we still need to worry about CB, WR, TE. Jonnu Smith is a guy I think would fit well with us. Especially considering Wentz’s preference for TE’s running down the seam.

Lawson or Ngakoue would be a good choice.

https://www.stampedeblue.com/2021/3/...ge-carl-lawson

It appears WR. John Brown would like to be a Colt.

https://www.stampedeblue.com/2021/3/...d-destinations

6 months its September and the season is already underway.

6 months from January 29 is September?

Seeing those two Chiefs added to the pool of FA at tackle, all I keep thinking is that someone is going to sign them, and that is two more quality tackles who may not be taken before our first pick.

Still holding out for Christian Darrisaw. Nelson in between him and Kelly would move mountains in the run game. Could pencil Taylor in for 1600 yards on the ground minimum next year.

9, from your estimate. Worst case. No one can guarantee the best case. Why isnt KC keeping him? They are going to be short on O linemen, losing another starter to FA.

I've heard bringing back Autry is their second internal free agent priority behind bringing back Rhodes. I don't know if either will get done, but they seem to want to.

Ngakoue would be a huge get, and I like that he's young. That said, even if they got Ngakoue, Lawson, and Autry (which would be perfect for a free agent haul for the Colts at DE), I'd still be looking at Ojulari at 21. We will see about his measurables on March 17, but even at 6'2" 230, Mathis played at 6'2" 245 and he was a hell of a force as an edge rusher. Mathis working with Ojulari would be the mold getting fresh clay. Watching Ojulari demolish SEC tackles over and over, including top 50 talent in this draft like Alex Leatherwood, gives me confidence he would do the same in short order in the NFL. Ojulari's film against Leatherwood is reminiscent of Robert Quinn's film against Castanzo, which alone gave me concern about Castanzo's ability to hold up at LT in the NFL.

The only 2017 class the Colts are keeping is Stewart. Hooker, Mack, and Walker are leaving via free agency, and everyone else was already gone. That's why they can afford to go get Ngakoue, Lawson, Autry, Rhodes, and one of the 5 LTs.

Why so big on Darrisaw? I get he's good, but not so much better than a Liam Eichenberg or Dillon Radunz that he's must have in Round 1. Also, don't count on Schwartz having any impact on the free agency market.

Improvements in medical technology typically push injury recovery to the low end of the spectrum. As I already stated, obviously the Colts would want to get their own medical workup before signing Fisher and counting on him for anything. That leaves 4 other possible starters available on the free agent market.

Don't want to spend the money on a free agent tackle. Draft him.

I still would for Trent Williams

I would still rather use that money on some other FAs to fill out roster and get an OT at 21.


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Trent Williams would be awesome. I just don't think he would be worth the money for us. It will probably be between 17-20 million a year. We have a great offensive line. Having Williams vs just an average LT will not make us that much better, in my opinion and will decrease what we have available for the rest of the team. If we are going to break the bank for a player (and I do not want us to do it) I think it should be DE. THAT (a great pass rushing DE) would be transformational.

Can go a lot of different directions I just feel like Trent Williams is the best free agent available the only DE worth considering throwing big money at is Shaq Barrett and while either would make the team better I’d rather have the O-line no team wants to go against. Could always draft a DE or sign one of the less expensive guys

Ngakoue and Dupree would be worth large contracts, and so would Lawson the way the Colts value pressures. Despite only 5.5 sacks, Lawson had 44 total pressures last year, or nearly 3 per game.

For reference, TJ Watt had 61 pressures, no one else had more than 45, and Lawson's 44 is tied for 4th best in the NFL.

I like Lawson a lot. He is one fast MO-FO!

Draft the LT and bring in mid-level FA LT as insurance. Get Edge in FA. I trust Ballard to get the right guy there. Bring back Rhodes. Sign 1 FA WR (Brown or Hilton). Look hard at TE in the draft Pitts or Freiermuth.

Everyone wants to talk about Brady. But defense won the Super Bowl. We need more passrush. We got the 3-tech solved, but passrush will improve that secondary. Don’t really care how they do it. But it needs to be fixed.