Indianapolis Colts: 15 best free agent acquisitions of all-time
By Ryan Stano
Free agency is almost upon us, so with that in mind we look back at the 15 best free agents the Indianapolis Colts have ever acquired.
Free agency is a great way to acquire some great players for teams. It allows teams to get players who can help put them over the hump or become new foundational players for their organization. There have been a lot of good ones for the Indianapolis Colts, too.
Most teams that have success build their foundation through the draft. That allows them to build homegrown talent and mold that player into what they want. If you look at the history of the league, that is how most championship teams are constructed.
But that doesn’t mean that free agents can’t help a team. In fact, it’s typically free agents who give a team an extra boost to advance further in the playoffs. That’s what several of these players did for the Colts. Without further ado, here is the list.
15. player. 46. . DE. (2012-14). Cory Redding
Cory Redding was one of the less heralded free agent signings of the Ryan Grigson era. But it was one that actually ended up working out. Redding provided leadership and a veteran presence to a young team he was joining.
Redding started in most of the games he played in Indianapolis. He was able to keep the defensive line together in times of adversity. He wasn’t just a leader on the defensive side of the ball, though. Redding was a complete team leader. That was part of the reason he was brought in.
As far as stats go, they were modest. He was not a dominant force on the line. But he still was able to accumulate 10 sacks in the three years he was with the Colts. He also was able to keep running backs at bay, having 21 tackles for loss over that time period as well.
Redding’s value was more in the locker room than it was on the field. That is part of the reason he was only in Indianapolis for three years. That, and he was already 32 years of age when he was brought in. That is also why the move was questioned when it was made.
Redding added a veteran presence that the team needed at the time. The next player on the list was younger, but was able to give the production the Colts needed.