The Indianapolis Colts are sitting at the center of some interesting free agency rumors this morning. According to Lance Zerline of NFL.com and SportsTalk 790 in Houston, former Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson and ex-49ers running back Frank Gore are planning to join the Colts together.
Got this from someone close to 80: "Dre on owners private jet headed to Indy. He called Gore & they agreed both to Indy. Philly wanted both"
— Lance Zierlein (@LanceZierlein) March 10, 2015
From this tweet, 80 and Dre are obviously Johnson and the jet is presumably Colts owner Jim Irsay’s.
Both players have been on the Colts radar since they hit free agency.
Johnson was released from the Texans yesterday after he was told he would have a diminished role in the team’s offense next season. Coach Bill O’Brien told him that he’d finish the year with around 40 receptions.
Johnson has been linked to the Colts since it was rumored that he would be released. The Colts wasted little time trying to bring him to Indianapolis.
Gore was unable to work out a deal with the 49ers and was recently reported to have a deal with the Philadelphia Eagles ready to go. Gore backed out of the deal yesterday and the Colts immediately jumped to the top of his list.
The NFL Network confirmed that Johnson was headed to Indianapolis to meet with the Colts today. And the analysis took over right after that news broke.
Adding DeMarco Murray and Andre Johnson would immediately make Colts a Super Bowl contender. -@CoachBillick #NFLFreeAgency
— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) March 10, 2015
While both of these players are nearing the end of their careers, they are exactly what the Colts need heading forward. Johnson (34) provides a veteran presence who is an excellent possession receiver and Gore (32) gives the Colts a dynamic running back they haven’t had during Andrew Luck‘s tenure.
Neither player is a long term option, but both can help the Colts offense stay at the top of the league.