Indianapolis Colts’ latest rumored WR splurge seems unlikely

Sorry, the Indianapolis Colts will be signing WHO in free agency?

Now that the Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback situation has been resolved, the front office can turn their attention to other positional needs — which can be addressed either through trade, free agency or the draft — for the remainder of the offseason.

Most fans would like to see the Colts sign a surefire No. 1 wideout, and that could mean letting veteran TY Hilton walk as a free agent to preserve as much cap space as possible.

That obviously isn’t a knock against the four-time Pro Bowler. It’s just reality.

There’s simply an argument to be made about whether Hilton’s reached the end of his prime, and a superstar receiver (other than left tackle, of course) is currently the biggest missing piece of Indianapolis’ offense.

Well, in light of this realization, sports outlets are beginning to set their predictions in terms of where some of the high-profile free agents will end up this offseason.

Spotrac joined that growing list this week and had the Colts signing Chris Godwin to a five-year $90 million (!) deal.

Spotrac predicts that the Colts will sign Chris Godwin this offseason

Here’s what Spotrac had to say in their analysis:

"“The age, production, intangibles, and skillset are all extremely favorable for Godwin, which almost always means that someone overpays to pull him out of his current situation.”“BEST GUESS: Indianapolis”"

In a vacuum, it makes sense why the Colts and Godwin seem like a perfect match. The former third-round pick is one of the best possession receivers in the league and absolutely dominates on short and intermediate routes. Could you honestly think of a free agent receiver better suited to help quarterback Carson Wentz rediscover his confidence? Probably not.

However, when you consider Indy’s need to bolster the left tackle, defensive end, cornerback, safety and (maybe) linebacker positions assuming Anthony Walker isn’t re-signed, it’s extremely difficult to picture a scenario in which they’re able to dish out $18 million per year to a wideout.

Not to mention that the likes of linebacker Darius Leonard, guard Quenton Nelson, and tackle Braden Smith are all playing on expiring contracts and are due for what will likely end up being monster extensions when the dust settles.

We would love a superstar WR on the Colts as much as the next guy, but adding one simply wouldn’t be in the team’s best interest, as doing so — especially to a five-year, $90 million deal —   would really limit their spending budget. And nobody wants that.

Assuming Godwin demands a similar type of contract, we would much prefer Indianapolis to target one of the other big-name receivers, like an Allen Robinson or Kenny Golladay, who are also slated to hit the open market this offseason, if they come at a discount.

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