Several former Indianapolis Colts players are still searching for a new team in free agency. Here are some potential landing spots for some of those players.
The NFL is over a week into 2023 free agency and several moves have already been made. However, there are a lot of names still available in free agency searching for new teams. While the initial free agency frenzy had a lot of big moves, the moves made over the next few weeks have the potential to be just as impactful.
For the Indianapolis Colts, they have already lost their fair share of free agents but also retained some, while adding new players as well. The Colts lost guys like Parris Campbell and Bobby Okereke, re-signed names like Ashton Dulin and EJ Speed, and handed out several contracts. Indianapolis will surely remain active in the coming weeks.
Some of Indy’s time may be spent trying to re-sign some of its free agents that are still available.
Colts players still available in free agency
As is the case league-wide, there are a ton of remaining free agents. Indianapolis has 11 guys that are still searching for their next team. A couple of those free agents are Indy’s specialists from this past season: Matt Haack and Chase McLaughlin. With the Colts signing Matt Gay, and Rigoberto Sanchez returning from injury next season, Indy is comfortable letting Haack and McLaughlin walk.
Also still available is veteran safety Rodney McLeod and offensive linemen Matt Pryor. McLeod played tremendously for Indy last season but with the young safety depth Indianapolis has, McLeod is unlikely to return. He could play for another team or retire, which is something he has considered. Pryor, on the other hand, struggled last season but should still be able to find a shot as a depth linemen somewhere in the league.
While those guys’ free agency should be resolved soon, the two biggest remaining free agents for Indianapolis are Matt Ryan and Yannick Ngakoue. Let’s take a look at some potential landing spots for those two.
Potential landing spot for Matt Ryan
Matt Ryan wasn’t initially scheduled to be a free agent this offseason, but after things didn’t go as planned with the Colts, he was released with one year remaining on his contract. Now, the veteran quarterback is looking for an opportunity to keep playing, despite some people arguing that Ryan should just retire and start his career in television.
However, Ryan believes he still has some quality football left in the tank, and to his point, he played well in spurts last season. He’ll surely be looking for some better circumstances than the ones he played with in Indianapolis last season. However, it’s unlikely that Ryan finds those circumstances as a starter. Here is a good landing spot for Matt Ryan.
Las Vegas Raiders could sign Matt Ryan
The Las Vegas Raiders signed Jimmy Garoppolo to be their quarterback and they have also been showing interest in draft prospect Bryce Young. However, since Vegas has the seventh-overall pick, it may not be able to select one of the top quarterbacks. If the Raiders don’t get a top rookie, the only other quarterback on their roster is Chase Garbers, who signed with the team as an undrafted free agent in 2022.
Considering Jimmy G’s injury history, the Raiders probably want a reliable backup quarterback that could step in and keep the team competitive if needed. Although Ryan didn’t have his best season in 2022, it’s not unrealistic to think that he could be competent in Vegas’ offense. He would make a good backup quarterback for Jimmy G and the Raiders.
There are several other teams throughout the league that could be interested in Ryan as a backup. The Green Bay Packers are another team that make sense since they are moving Aaron Rodgers and handing things over to Jordan Love. Ryan could be a veteran safety option for the Packers.
There’s also the chance that Matt Ryan may just ultimately decide to retire instead of going down the backup QB path. The coming weeks should provide more clarity on Ryan’s future.
Potential landing spot for Yannick Ngakoue
Indianapolis traded for Yannick Ngakoue one season ago, knowing he had just one year left on his contract. However, the team was hoping that Ngakoue would improve Indy’s pass rush so that the team could be better late in the season and contend for a title. Ngakoue did help Indy’s pass rush improve, however, the team was only 4-12-1, so that pass rush didn’t have a chance to shine late in the year.
Now, Ngakoue is a free agent and it seems like the team has moved on. The Colts signed defensive end Samson Ebukam to a three-year deal, and it’s unlikely that they’ll also still bring back Ngakoue. However, Yannick Ngakoue has been a consistently productive pass rusher since he entered the NFL, so he’ll surely have suitors. What seems like a top landing spot for Ngakoue?
Chicago Bears could sign Yannick Ngakoue
There have been a lot of discussions about Ngakoue possibly joining the Chicago Bears. Some of the discussion has been about how Ngakoue is not necessarily the best fit for Matt Eberflus’ defense. However, the Bears need help at defensive end, and Ngakoue may best provide that help, regardless of his fit.
Chicago was in line to select an edge rusher like Will Anderson, but after trading back to No. 9, the Bears will likely miss out on the first few defensive linemen off the board. Signing Ngakoue, even if just for a year, would be an improvement for the Bears. For that reason, Chicago is still in play to add Ngakoue.
Considering the value that pass rushers have in football, especially for the postseason, Ngakoue will likely have some interest from contending teams as well. It’ll be interesting to see if a team like the Bears can get Yannick Ngakoue to sign if he’s receiving interest from teams that will be competing for a championship next season.