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Stay or Go: Colts Free Agency 2017 Edition

By Luke Schultheis

Aug 27, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Darius Butler (20) celebrates with safety Mike Adams (29) after intercepting a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 27, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Darius Butler (20) celebrates with safety Mike Adams (29) after intercepting a pass against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 23, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle (84) spikes the ball after catching a pass for touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Indianapolis won 34-26. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 23, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle (84) spikes the ball after catching a pass for touchdown against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Indianapolis won 34-26. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports /

Jack Doyle, Tight End

Since being claimed by the Colts off waivers in 2013, tight end Jack Doyle has developed into the team’s most consistent tight end and a security blanket for starting quarterback Andrew Luck over the middle.

The former Cathedral High School standout is coming off a breakout season in which he set career highs with 59 receptions for 584 total receiving yards and 5 touchdown receptions in 2016:

Per Pro Football Focus (subscription), he was their 16th best rated tight end overall with a +76.0 grade overall.

Having already signed starting tight end Dwayne Allen to a 4-year, $29.4 million deal last offseason, it’s a fair question of whether the Colts should reasonably pay lucrative money to another tight end on their roster–having already let Coby Fleener depart in free agency last year.

Dec 5, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle (84) catches a pass during the first half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Indianapolis Colts tight end Jack Doyle (84) catches a pass during the first half against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Mulholland-USA TODAY Sports /

Nevertheless, Doyle is just too reliable for the Colts to let go–especially with Allen’s lingering  inconsistency and durability questions. He’s developed into Luck’s safety valve and seems to make the clutch catches when the team needs them the most.

Not to mention, he’s just so well-liked in the locker room and seems to be a ‘glue guy’ that was one of the few bright spots for the team this past season.

Doyle should command more than the 3-year, $13 million deal that Brent Celek landed last offseason with the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Colts cannot afford to get into a bidding war with a tight end needy team this offseason either.

That being said, general manager Ryan Grigson wants to re-sign Doyle, and the young tight end also wants to re-sign with the Colts.

If push came to shove, the Colts should pick Doyle over Allen if it actually came to it (that’s another story for a different day), but right now, the team should have enough cap space to get a new deal done with their emerging young tight end.

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