Colts' 4 Toughest In-House Free-Agent Decisions

These four groups of in-house free agents provide the Colts with their toughest decisions to make this offseason.

The NFL's free agency period begins in a week, and the "legal tampering" period starts even sooner.

With that in mind, the Indianapolis Colts have some important decisions to make with their league-leading $69 million in cap space.

They're going to need to invest in some outside talent in order to fill some of their holes but re-signing some key role players who they're already familiar with is just as important in some cases.

The Colts have a lot to spend, and though it's not always beneficial to blow through big money, they may need to be more liberal with their cash this year if they really intend to build on the progress they've made in recent seasons. The roster holes are just too significant.

Of course, teams can't afford to bring everybody back each year so the Colts have some tough decisions to make ahead. First, we'll take a look at their internal free agents and which position groups might give them the toughest decisions to make.

• Unrestricted Free Agents: OT Eric Fisher, WR Zach Pascal, G Mark Glowinski, ED Al-Quadin Muhammad, CB Xavier Rhodes, S Andrew Sendejo, TE Mo Alie-Cox, G Chris Reed, S George Odum, OL Matt Pryor, WR T.Y. Hilton, DL Tyquan Lewis, OT Julién Davenport, ED Kemoko Turay, LB Zaire Franklin, ED Isaac Rochell, K Michael Badgley, CB T.J. Carrie, S Jahleel Addae, DT Antwaun Woods, RB Marlon Mack, LB Matthew Adams, OT Sam Tevi, QB Brett Hundley, S D.J. Swearinger, CB Brian Poole
• Restricted Free Agents: DT Taylor Stallworth, WR Ashton Dulin
• Exclusive Rights Free Agents: LB Skai Moore, WR Quartney Davis, DT Rob Windsor, CB Nick Nelson

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Pass-Catchers

Behind Michael Pittman Jr., you've got to wonder what the Colts group of pass-catchers will look like in 2022. Top tight end Jack Doyle retired while fellow starter Mo Alie-Cox is a free agent. Their No. 2 and 3 receivers, T.Y. Hilton and Zach Pascal, are also set to become free agents, and the up-and-coming Ashton Dulin is as well. Those players accounted for 216-of-521 pass targets (41.5%) in 2021, so that's a lot of volume to replace.

Hilton is the Colts' most accomplished pass-catcher of the last decade but is 32 years old and only narrowly returned to the Colts last year after being offered significantly more money elsewhere. Pascal is reliable and meshes well with most quarterbacks but has likely hit his ceiling. Another team with needs at receiver could offer him more money than the Colts would be willing to spend. Alie-Cox is in a similar boat where he offers a solid overall game but may drive a higher price tag than the Colts would prefer. Dulin feels like a no-brainer to return as he's a restricted free agent so the Colts hold his rights. He's an ascending receiver and already an elite special teamer.

I think it would be reasonable to assume we see at least a couple of new faces each at both receiver and tight end in 2022, but who among the in-house options will be there as well?

© Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

Left Tackle

If you're a casual Colts fan then you may not be able to name any of the Colts' 2022 offensive tackles outside of Braden Smith. They are Shon Coleman, who hasn't played since 2017, Jordan Murray, who last played in the CFL, and Carter O'Donnell, who has spent the last two years on the Colts' practice squad.

Plain and simple, they need someone — anyone — to compete to play left tackle.

The Colts do have in-house options. Last year's starter, Eric Fisher, is a free agent but is said to not be returning. Last year, the Colts traded a seventh-round pick for utility lineman Matt Pryor, and while he played well enough to be a good candidate to return, he's rumored to have a surprisingly strong market. Sam Tevi was also signed last year to compete for snaps while Fisher recovered from an Achilles injury, but Tevi suffered his own season-ending knee injury and could never make an appearance. Julién Davenport is a free agent but showed nothing to warrant a return.

So, the Colts apparently already made one tough decision in electing to let Fisher walk, although his game had its blemishes. Do they bring Pryor back despite a potentially large price tag? They showed in last year's draft that they are very picky in who they choose to play left tackle, so their answer may lie in an outside veteran free agent.

© Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Right Guard

The Colts had two primary starters at right guard last year in Mark Glowinski and Chris Reed, and both are set for free agency. Both played well, and Reed actually played well enough to supplant Glowinski as the starter at one point. Do they pay a (likely) higher price for the guy who's held the job for four years in Glowinski, or do they go with the cheaper option who might perform even better in Reed? It seems like an easy choice but it may not be that simple.

The Colts could also let both walk and let someone like Danny Pinter or Will Fries compete for the spot in 2022 if they elect not to bring in an outside free agent or draft a new starter.

© Robert Scheer/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Defensive End

Some of the Colts' most important defensive role players are free agents in defensive ends Al-Quadin Muhammad, Kemoko Turay, and Tyquan Lewis.

The Colts do have a couple of players they hope can become stars at the position in 2021 rookies Kwity Paye and Dayo Odeyingbo. The pair combined for 4.5 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, and 51 total pressures, though Odeyingbo didn't debut until Week 8. However, the Colts can't put all their eggs in that basket; they need production.

In 2021, the Colts tied for 25th in the league in sacks with just 33. According to Pro Football Focus, their team pass-rushing grade of 71.3 ranked 18th. Of the 33 sacks they accumulated, Muhammad, Turay, and Lewis accounted for 14.0 of them (42.4%), so nearly half of last year's already-low sack numbers could be walking out the door.

Muhammad seems like a good fit to follow former defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus to the Chicago Bears, although that's just speculation. The Colts have reportedly been in talks with Lewis' representation for him to come back after he suffered a season-ending knee injury midway through the year. It would be a good idea to bring Turay back if he's not exorbitantly expensive, as he is coming off of a career-high 5.5 sacks and 5 tackles for loss.

The Colts could also look to bring in an outside veteran that they feel can flourish in their defense as they've done in the past with Denico Autry, Justin Houston, and Isaac Rochell.

Which of these free agents should the Colts attempt to re-sign? Drop your thoughts below in the comment section!

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