Indianapolis Colts 2015 Season Preview
By Evan Reller
Former Miami Hurricane Teammates in wide receiver Andre Johnson and running back Frank Gore joined the Indianapolis Colts together as high-profile free agent signings.
Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports (Andre Johnson); Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports (Frank Gore)
Free Agency Roundup
Offensive Free Agent Additions
Andre Johnson
Frank Gore
Todd Herremans
Defensive Free Agent Additions
Kendall Langford
Trent Cole
Dwight Lowery
Nate Irving
The Colts dipped heavily into free agency to build a team with the sole purpose of winning a Super Bowl.
Make no mistake, most of those players signed in the offseason are only here temporarily (as in two, maybe three years). Most are near the ends of their careers and chasing a championship ring. These moves largely focused on adding veteran leadership to the team’s offense, while adding some insurance to the defensive side of the ball.
These are all players who still have something left in the tank and represent clear upgrades over the players they’re replacing (possible exception being Irving). Langford becomes the veteran along the defensive line, while Cole will likely split time with Robert Mathis (and provides insurance against another injury). And Lowery is a clear upgrade over LaRon Landry, the king of taking bad angles and performance “supplements.”
Johnson will essentially take the role of 2012 Reggie Wayne and can give the team more than what Wayne offered last season (tough to see a great like Wayne go out that way). Gore is such a monumental upgrade over Trent Richardson, I’m not entirely sure the two even play the same sport. And despite his issues in pass protection, Herremans is a good run blocker and gives a veteran presence to the interior of the line.
Next: First Year Players