Colts: Did Indy get too sentimental with Mack and Hilton moves?

It goes without saying that the Indianapolis Colts have been one of the most disappointing teams through the first several weeks of free agency.

Not only have they yet to make a major splash, but reports indicate they haven’t even engaged in a bidding war with another team for a star player.

In other words, Indy has backed out of negotiations for potential targets as soon as they were outbid by someone else.

This conservative approach hasn’t resonated with fans, who’ve taken to social media in bunches to convey their despondency. In fact, the only moves the fan base has endorsed thus far have been the re-signings of culture pillars TY Hilton and Marlon Mack.

As much as we love the idea of preserving culture and promoting roster continuity, we can’t help but wonder if the Colts got too sentimental with these moves.

Before you shake your head in dismay, hear us out for a minute.

Did the Colts let emotion take over when they re-signed Marlon Mack and TY Hilton this offseason?

The question Colts fans have to ask themselves is whether they would rather have Hilton and Mack in the fold or one potential star at a position of need. After all, the cap space used to re-sign both players could have been used on a free agent they just missed out on.

Given that the front office has been more reluctant than usual in terms of splurging on the open market, we keep asking ourselves if these moves were necessary.

Not only does Hilton, who will turn 32 in November, have an extensive injury history, but he’s fresh off his least productive season as a pro in which he played at least 14 games. Taking that into account, was bringing him back over a potential better fit (like Will Fuller or Sammy Watkins) the right decision?

Mack, meanwhile, is coming off a torn Achilles, which is widely regarded as the most serious injury for professional athletes in today’s day and age. While all signs point to him being ahead of schedule in his recovery, what exactly was the point of retaining him as a de facto coach?

We totally understand that Mack was extremely productive as the starter in 2018 and 2019 and he’ll hardly cost the Colts anything next season. However, was adding another running back to the mix really necessary after Jonathan Taylor’s incredible rookie year?

Not to mention that Nyheim Hines posted career-highs in carries (89) rushing yards (380) touchdown scampers (three), yards per carry (4.3) and first down runs (24) last season.

We’d love nothing more than for Mack and Hilton to serve us up a plate of humble pie, but given the lack of other moves Indy has made in free agency, it keeps playing in the back of our minds that maybe the front office was blinded by emotion with these two deals.

After all, the Colts are a team whose championship window is finally open and neither player sets them over the top from a roster standpoint.

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