The Indianapolis Colts have big decisions to make this offseason as they find their new identity. Here are 4 free agents they need to re-sign.
This offseason will hopefully reset the identity and focus of the Indianapolis Colts as they look toward the future of the franchise. Hoping not to repeat the disappointments faced in the last two seasons, the Colts will look to the draft and the free agent pool to find their new identity and assemble the pieces to have a successful season.
That could begin with retaining the key talent they have in-house currently. Even though the product on the field hasn’t been exactly what they wanted, there are key individual contributors that Indianapolis could bring back to help smooth the transition. The defense has played well over the last two seasons despite switching coordinators.
In 2021 under Matt Eberflus, the Colts ranked tenth in rushing yards per game and ninth in points per game. In 2022 under Gus Bradley, the team ranked 11th in passing yards per game and 15th in total yards per game. A significant portion of the following free agents come from the defensive side of the ball based on the fact that, at this point, Indy is looking to retain Bradley as the defensive coordinator.
The team has recently blocked him from interviewing with other teams until Indianapolis can hire a new head coach. Once the new head coach is in they can decide who they are keeping on staff and if Bradley is their guy to lead the defense. Nevertheless, maintaining a positive outlook and attitude in the locker room is huge for a team transitioning leadership. Retaining these five players, in no particular order, will not only help with that but should also bring in talent the team will need to find success again.
4. FS Rodney McLeod is likely to re-sign with Colts
Rodney McLeod was a veteran signing last season for depth at a position the Indianapolis Colts struggled with a year prior. Khari Willis retired, George Odum went to the San Francisco 49ers, and Julian Blackmon was coming off a torn Achilles that ended his season after Week 6 in 2021. McLeod joined a safety room that was rather unproven and actually got beat out by rookie Nick Cross for the starting role in Week 1.
McLeod stayed strong and ended up winning the starting role back in Week 3 and never looked back. The 2022 NFL season marked McLeod’s 11th year in the league, having played on three teams. At 32 years old, this didn’t stop McLeod from setting career numbers. With the Colts he set his career high in total tackles (98), tackles for loss (8), and pass deflections (8). He also scored the first touchdown of his career off an interception return in the final game of the season. He seemed to find success in Bradley’s system and could see continued success next season.
McLeod will turn 33 by the time next season rolls around. According to Spotrac, his current market value is $1.7 million. He is coming off of a $1.1 million contract with Indy and could probably sign for something similar if he doesn’t retire. His veteran presence would be an added boost in the locker room for a team looking for leadership and connection. He would also be a mentor to Blackmon, Cross, and Rodney Thomas II who started to show out toward the end of the season.
3. WR Parris Campbell is likely to re-sign with Colts
Parris Campbell was a bright spot for the Indianapolis Colts offense in his first full season of play. Fans were waiting and wanting to see what Campbell would look like when healthy enough to play a full season. After suffering major injuries in his first three seasons, his fourth season gave him the opportunity to shine despite the poor play of the offense in 2022.
In 17 games played in 2022, 10 more than the second-highest games played in his career, he averaged almost four receptions per game for almost 37 yards per game with a catch percentage of almost 70 percent. Minus the catch percentage, the other two stats were career-highs. He also set career highs in targets (91), receptions (63), yards (623), touchdowns (3), and first-down receptions (32) just to name a few. His first-down receptions were second on the team to Michael Pittman Jr. who had 52. He was second to Pittman Jr. in almost every receiving category for the team.
Campbell is coming off a four-year $4.8 million contract which paid him $1.1 million for this last season. According to Spotrac, his market value sits around $2.5 million for a one-year deal. Expanding that deal out to three years would cost the Colts around $7.5 million in total. Campbell’s injury history may make opposing teams pass on the receiver who has such a small sample size.
This would lead many to believe Indianapolis could get Campbell to come back and build upon his successful season. However, the one foil to this plan is a team having someone on the inside who could see how Campbell has operated through his injury and then return for the best season of his career. That coach would be Frank Reich who is now the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. Reich may be able to convince the top brass that adding Campbell could help solidify their young receiving core and give him a familiar face in the offense.
2. K Chase McLaughlin is likely to re-sign with Colts
After Rodrigo Blankenship’s poor start to the season and ultimate dismissal from the team, the Indianapolis Colts special teams unit was left looking for answers. Chase McLaughlin stepped up to the challenge and earned the kicking position on the team. This was McLaughlin’s second stint with the Colts after kicking in four games for Indianapolis in 2019.
This season McLaughlin started in Week 4 nailing both of his extra-point attempts and field goals. The 2022 season was the most McLaughlin has kicked in his career, connecting on 30 of his 36 attempts with his longest being 54 yards. He was nine for 12 from 50+ yards this past season as well. The Colts have been spoiled in the kicking department but are now scrambling to find their next kicking ace. He was also a perfect 21-of-21 on extra-point attempts, which is more than Blankenship can say about last season.
His current contract with the Colts was only a one-year, $960 thousand deal that would be easy for the team to replicate in 2023. Spotrac has his market value set high at $4.1 million per year on a five-year deal. Indianapolis could bring in more competition this offseason or draft a kicker to challenge McLaughlin, but the team has enough holes to plug and could have an easy solution here.
Re-signing McLaughlin would give the team consistency in special teams with a proven commodity, and a long-term deal would provide that consistency for years to come.
1. LB EJ Speed is likely to re-sign with Colts
With Shaquille Leonard in and out of the lineup this past season due to injuries, other linebackers got the opportunity to show up and prove why they deserve a spot on the roster. Zaire Franklin capitalized the most with his starting position setting a career-high in tackles with 167 which ranked fourth in the NFL amongst defenders. However, another under-the-radar linebacker proved they could step up and fill big shoes. That was E.J. Speed the fourth-year linebacker out of Tarleton State.
Speed appeared in 17 games, starting five of them this past season. He more than doubled his tackles from last season going from 31 in 2021 to 63 in 2022. In that number, he had 37 solo tackles (career-high) and seven tackles for loss (career-high). Speed also registered the first sack of his career along with two pass deflections. He capitalized on the injuries to other linebackers and seemed to fit well into Bradley’s defensive scheme.
This could be an under-the-radar player the Indianapolis Colts could re-sign to retain a familiar face on their defense and provide consistency if anything would happen to Leonard or if Bobby Okereke is not brought back. Speed is coming off a four-year, $2.8 million deal to which the Colts could give more money and still be under what other linebackers on the market would cost.
This move would be largely predicated on what the team decides to do with their two starting linebackers in Okereke and Leonard. At the very least, Speed would be depth and a younger asset for a defense that is still relatively young.
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