The Colts saw much of their roster turn over in the early days free agency. How will those losses affect the team moving forward?
General manager Chris Ballard took over a Colts roster that needed plenty of change after replacing former GM Ryan Grigson. He has exiled many players over his first 14 months of the job and that has continued this offseason.
The Colts have lost a lot of production on both sides of the ball in free agency, and Ballard needs to have a solid plan to replace them.
Here are our evaluations of some of the players that have walked out the door in free agency this offseason.
Wide Receiver Donte Moncrief
Chris Ballard may have been interested in bringing Donte Moncrief back to Indianapolis on a low-risk deal, but the division-rival Jaguars likely blew any offer the Colts may have had on the table with a one-year $9.6 million deal.
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Moncrief had shown flashes of brilliance during his four years in Indianapolis, and I would’ve been happy to see him return on a $4-5 million one-year contract. However, I’m glad Ballard didn’t match Jacksonville’s offer because that is way to steep a price to pay for Moncrief‘s services.
Running Back Frank Gore
At nearly 35 years old, it had become time for the Colts to move on from Frank Gore. We had all become fans of Gore during his time in Indianapolis, and it would’ve been nice to see him chase a championship during the final years of his career.
Instead, Gore went back home to Miami on a one-year deal. We all wish the best for Gore, but this was a move that needed to be made and it’s in the best interest for the future of the fanchise.
Defensive Tackle Johnathan Hankins
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Releasing Johnathan Hankins just one year into a three-year $27 million contract was the most surprising move of the Colts’ offseason thus far.
With new defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus introducing a 4-3 scheme in Indianapolis next season, a one-technique like Hankins simply wasn’t a great fit. It’s disappointing to see Hankins sign elsewhere after a fantastic season, and Chris Ballard will need to find some talent to replace him along the interior of the defensive line.