The first frenetic wave of NFL free agency in 2026 has ended, and general managers across the league are beginning to turn their attention to the upcoming NFL draft. But there are still players floating around unsigned, and some of them should have good days ahead of them. Perhaps only one year, perhaps five. Some of those players could be on Indianapolis Colts GM Chris Ballard’s radar.
Ballard finds himself without a first-round draft pick in the upcoming draft. But he still has some money left to spend. That lack of a first-rounder actually gives Ballard a little bit more leeway in stretching his approximately 30 million dollars in cap space. He will not be paying a first-round salary to a rookie this year.
The challenge is finding players at this date who could have a genuine impact on the Colts’ ’26 season. Ballard will not find an All-Pro. He may not even find a starter. The Trey Hendricksons and Tyler Linderbaums have been scooped up. Ballard has already closed a couple of the biggest deals by re-signing Alec Pierce and Daniel Jones. Still, there is work to be done.
These free agents could pay dividends for the Indianapolis Colts in 2026
Derek Barnett, Edge
Derek Barnett has never lived up to his draft pedigree. He was Philadelphia’s first-round pick in the 2017 draft, and in seven seasons with the Eagles and three with Houston, he has managed 34 sacks and 216 tackles. Not exactly world-beating numbers.
On the other hand, he has earned the respect of top-flight defensive minds like Jim Schwartz and DeMeco Ryans. Barnett may never have developed into a star, but if those coaches wanted him as part of their defenses, he was doing something right.
Playing behind elite edge rushers Will Anderson and Danielle Hunter, Barnett has managed five sacks in each of the last two seasons. That sack total equals what Indy got from Samson Ebukam and Tyquon Lewis in more than twice as many snaps last year, and his pressure rate is significantly better than any Colts’ edge rusher excepting Laiatu Latu.
Barnett, who turns 30 this summer, doesn’t solve the Colts’ pass-rushing problems. But he is a sensible step in the right direction.
Antonio Gibson, running back
Jonathan Taylor needs help. Perhaps DJ Giddens can grow into that role in his second season. But in his rookie year, when Shane Steichen needed to give Taylor some rest, he did not turn to his rookie. Instead, he went with veteran journeyman Ameer Abdullah.
If Ballard is going to rely on veteran journeymen, why not try a younger, faster version of Abdullah? Gibson is a converted college wide receiver who has never played up to his natural speed and power.
In New England, he was demoted behind more powerful runners. His career of late has been mostly centered on special teams, where he has proven to be a good kick returner. But at 27, and with not too much wear on his body, Gibson can still be dangerous as a change of pace back.
Running behind Indy’s quality offensive line, Antonio Gibson could provide JT with his best support since the days of Zack Moss.
Kareem Hunt, running back
Hunt is the opposite side of the coin from a back like Gibson. He is long removed from his spectacular rookie season in 2017, when the third-round pick out of Toledo shocked everyone by leading the league in rushing.
Hunt has bounced around since then. An assault charge in 2018 nearly ended his career just as it was taking off, and he has never been the same player. But the player he is at 30 still can contribute to an NFL team.
If he is no longer explosive, Hunt is a very tough runner. He will get difficult yards. He can make plays in the receiving game. He will block. Most importantly, he will save some wear and tear on JT by converting some of those tough third-and-two plays in the second quarter. Taylor will be on the field with the game on the line, but with a backup like Hunt, he will be much fresher.
Curtis Samuel, Wide Receiver
Much like Derek Barnett, Curtis Samuel was a high draft pick (early second-round in 2017) who has been a vague disappointment throughout his career. He has shown flashes of explosiveness, but never seems able to sustain any success. On a Buffalo offense in need of playmakers, Samuel was a virtual no-show in 2024 and then missed about half of 2025 with an elbow injury.
Samuel never really had his “best days,” and even so, those days may be behind him. Doesn’t sound like much of a bargain at this point.
But Samuel is still fast enough and athletic enough to make plays. He cannot be relied on to do it on a regular basis, but on a team that already has Alec Pierce, Tyler Warren, and Josh Downs, creative offensive minds like Shane Steichen and Jim Bob Cooter should be able to design enough gadget plays to make Samuel a dangerous presence.
Indy needs to develop another young starting-caliber receiver. That is not Samuel. That is probably someone they will find in the draft. Curtis Samuel can be a bargain playmaker as a WR4 while the new receiving corps finds its footing.
Justin Skule, Offensive Tackle
Braden Smith is gone. Jalen Travis is expected to step into his starting right tackle spot. That leaves Indy with a hole at swing tackle. Ideally, Blake Freeland returns from the broken leg that cost him the entire 2025 season and can fill that void. But Freeland struggled a lot as a rookie and didn’t show much more in his second season. Relying on him at this point involves a fair bit of wishful thinking.
Skule has been a maddening player throughout his six-year career. He can look very good at times and then commit a bad penalty or allow a crucial sack. But he is a legitimate swing tackle who is just approaching 30, and players like that have a way of settling into their role as they age.
As with the receiver position, Indy needs to develop a young tackle who can take over if Bernhard Raimann gets hurt or Jalen Travis falters as a starter. Maybe that will eventually be Freeland.
That is not why they would sign Skule. They would sign Skule as a bridge to that other player. He can come in for a few games and keep the offense moving, and like Curtis Samuel, he figures to come cheap.
These aren’t game-breakers. Those UFAs have already been signed. But these types of role players or depth options sometimes have a very big impact on a team’s success. Ballard needs to fill out his roster with a few vets who can provide stability when called on, and if nothing else, can push some of the younger backups to step up their games.