Colts: 3 free agents Indy must avoid this offseason

Which free agents should the Colts turn the other way from this offseason?

Indianapolis Colts fans have plenty of reason to be relieved now that the team has a quarterback in place after they traded for Carson Wentz.

However, there is still plenty of work to do for the front office with regard to rounding out the rest of the roster.

Given that general manager Chris Ballard has been outspoken against unloading draft capital and young assets, it would be surprising if he engaged in any more trade talk.

That, of course, is subject to change if he stumbled across the right deal, but we like to think his primary focuses will be free agency and the draft from here on out.

When it comes to free agency, the Colts still have a favorable cap situation even following the Wentz deal, as they’re currently projected to have the fourth-most funds ($50.34 million) of any team in the league. This should give them plenty of flexibility when making pitches to some of the biggest names on the market.

However, we would be remiss if we didn’t warn the Colts about certain players. Be it a matter of production, price range or maturity issues, there’s always a certain crop of free agents who draw red flags.

So, who exactly should Indianapolis steer clear of when free agency opens next month?

Which free agents should the Colts avoid this offseason?

3. Hunter Henry

The Colts better not splash the cash on Hunter Henry this offseason.

For those wondering, we still haven’t recovered from the ESPN article that listed the Colts as an ideal landing spot for free agent tight end Hunter Henry. We mean no disrespect to the former second-round pick, but why on earth would Indianapolis splurge on a tight end when there are so many other positions (like wide receiver, defensive end and cornerback) in need of upgrades?

We’re all in favor of the Colts adding a tight end, especially since Trey Burton and Mo Alie-Cox are slated to hit free agency, but why not do so through the draft? Even if they already made up their mind about wanting to find a solution on the open market, Ballard is obviously smart enough to avoid pursuing the most expensive option.

You also have to consider that the Colts are contractually tied to grizzled vet Jack Doyle for two more seasons. Do they really want to shed even more cap space by adding somebody like Henry, who will likely demand a contract that will make him the third-highest paid TE in the league? And do they really want to just…let Alie-Cox walk like that?

Not in this lifetime. Again, we hate to come down on Henry like this, but it’s worth noting that he’s appeared in just 55 of a possible 80 games since entering the NFL in 2016. That means he’s been available for less than 70% of his career, which is a major red fag in our book.

Throw in the fact that the 26-year-old has averaged just 42.8 receiving yards per game for his career and you’ll come to the realization that the Colts would be better served crossing him off their potential signing list this offseason…regardless of what ESPN might seem to think.