Colts: 3 former Indy players we’d like revenge on this season

1. Denico Autry

This wound is fresh, so it’s going to sting.

Denico Autry is the most successful free-agent signing of the Chris Ballard era, and he’s left. For Tennessee. That Chris Stapleton song hurts different.

During his three-year run in Indy, Autry totaled 102 tackles, 20 sacks and 32 quarterback hits in 40 games, outplaying the three-year, $17.8 million contract he signed in 2018. He was initially brought on to rebuild a 4-3 defense and he completely killed it, playing the 3-technique position and annihilating opponents left and right. He was a starter who could line up wherever and give the Colts solid, productive play. He was profoundly impactful and a true inspiration to journeymen defensive linemen everywhere. And if this sounds a bit like a eulogy, it is, because Autry is now dead to us.

Autry recently spoke about his new team to the Nashville Post:

"“I just like what (the Titans) have going on here. And I wanted to be a part of that. Actually, to tell you the truth, someone (saw) my worth, and that’s really why I chose the Titans.”"

In all fairness, the Colts did try to extend their relationship with Autry and made a late push to at least keep him away from their AFC South rivals. Autry’s vented frustration with Indy’s offer ultimately led him to commit to the Titans on a more lucrative three-year $21.5 million deal. Did the Colts lowball him? We’d love to give Ballard the benefit of the doubt and believe he made Autry the highest-possible offer, but Autry’s reaction tells a different story.

Still, we chased his heart, and he chased the money.

That’s that.

Indy will be looking to fill his money-grubbing shoes with younger, hungrier talent. Autry already had 631 snaps under his belt, and he wasn’t getting any younger. Just greedier, apparently. There’s at least one perk of Autry moving to Tennessee: the Colts will play him twice a year. That’s two times the Colts can make him regret he ever scorned Indy. We don’t easily forget.