The Indianapolis Colts are set to make free agency history after striking a record deal with a player on Monday, the first day of the NFL’s legal tampering period.
Monday was the first day of the NFL’s legal tampering period. Teams were allowed to speak with soon-to-be unrestricted free agents and negotiate a contract that can’t be signed or become official until Wednesday, March 15, the actual start of free agency. Out the gate, several teams began agreeing to contracts with multiple players. However, in true Indianapolis Colts fashion, they didn’t get involved in the initial frenzy.
However, Indianapolis’ general manager Chris Ballard did have a big move up his sleeve. He started by re-signing defenders Tyquan Lewis and EJ Speed, but before day one ended, Ballard signed an external free agent. Late Monday night, it was reported that the Colts are signing kicker Matt Gay. Indianapolis and Gay agreed on a four-year, $22.5 million deal, the biggest free agency deal ever for a kicker.
The #Colts are signing kicker Matt Gay to a four-year, $22.5 million deal. Biggest ever deal for a kicker in free agency and most money over three years for a kicker on the deal negotiated by @davidcanter and @NessMugrabi https://t.co/W9DJIytUWe
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 14, 2023
Colts sign Matt Gay to biggest free agency deal ever for a kicker
This was obviously a polarizing move. Chris Ballard has developed a reputation for not spending a lot of money in free agency and definitely not early in free agency. The one time it does happen is on a kicker; that didn’t sit well with some people. However, Gay is a really good kicker, and that’s a position that the Colts needed some stability at, so there’s a case that this was a good investment.
Matt Gay has been in the NFL since being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019. After a rocky rookie season, Gay was released by the Buccaneers. He was signed by the Colts in 2020 but was only on the practice squad. Eventually, the Los Angeles Rams signed Gay off Indy’s practice squad and that’s when he started to thrive.
Most accurate kickers all-time.
— Mike Chappell (@mchappell51) March 14, 2023
*Justin Tucker - 90.5%
*Younghoe Koo - 89.1%
*Daniel Carlson - 88.3%
*Harrison Butker - 88.2%
*Matt Gay - 87.8%
Gay is 17-of-23 on 50+ https://t.co/kukeWSn7sk
For three seasons in Los Angeles, Matt Gay developed into one of the NFL’s most accurate kickers, made it to a Pro Bowl, and also won a Super Bowl. Now, he’s returning to the Colts and should provide Indianapolis with consistently good kicking. Matt Gay isn’t the splash signing that fans were hoping for but all good teams need a dependable kicker. Football games are often decided by kicks, so it’s great to have a good kicker on the team.