NFL.com Has Colts Spending Big on Star Free Agent

The Indianapolis Colts could change their defense in massive ways with this free-agent addition.

The Indianapolis Colts are heading into NFL free agency with plenty of money to spend, sitting on $73.9 million, per Spotrac, which puts them at the fifth-most in the league.

Important players who are in-house free agents are due for new contracts in Indy, such as wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., defensive tackle Grover Stewart, and cornerback Kenny Moore II. However, so is strong safety Julian Blackmon, who came off the best year of his short career in 2023.

While the assumption is that Indianapolis would re-sign Blackmon before an outside free agent, NFL.com's Nick Shook believes another defender is potentially a better fit.

In his 2024 NFL Free Agency Matchmaking piece, Shook identifies one team that makes a great pairing for 15 of the top players available on the market.

For Indianapolis, he has Tampa Bay Buccaneers superstar safety Antoine Winfield Jr. as the signing:

The Colts currently have $72 million in cap to spend. One of their starting safeties, Julian Blackmon, is headed toward free agency. Winfield, meanwhile, is coming off his first All-Pro season, an overdue recognition for a helluva playmaker. Want to spend to improve that defense? Add Winfield and reap the benefits on the back end.

Shook's belief that Colts general manager Chris Ballard would pay Winfield the top-end money he's projected to make is near insanity.

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Spotrac has Winfield's market value as an incredible $18.4 million annually for his next contract. If this happens, it makes him a top-three-paid safety in the NFL with names like Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers ($19.1M annually) and Minkah Fitzpatrick of the Pittsburgh Steelers ($18.4M annually).

It's worth at least mentioning that Winfield would change the entire dynamic of the Colts' defense under coordinator Gus Bradley.

Last season, Winfield earned a First-Team All-Pro nomination with 122 tackles, 3 interceptions, 12 passes defended, 6.0 sacks, and 6 forced fumbles (led the NFL).

Per Pro Football Focus, he had lights-out grades of 90.7 overall defense, 91.5 run defense, 87.0 tackling, 92.7 pass-rushing (64 snaps), and 84.0 coverage.

He also did all this while taking an insane 1,230 defensive snaps, easily leading all cornerbacks and safeties on the Buccaneers roster.

The Bottom Line

While it would be a huge acquisition, Ballard isn't one to pass on a talented in-house free agent like Blackmon, who is coming off a great season.

Also, Blackmon will likely be worth between $5-8M annually. Winfield will likely make more than double that.

Indy has multiple areas of the roster to address with re-signings, making this free-agent splash of Winfield nothing more than a pipe dream. 

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