Despite a slow start, Chris Ballard and the Indianapolis Colts had a surprisingly decent showing on Day 1 of free agency. The Colts nabbed two major assets to their defense - Cam Bynum and Charvarius Ward - and wisely let two free agents, Ryan Kelly and Dayo Odeyingbo, walk. Two other free agents, Braden Smith and Ashton Dulin, were re-signed. Altogether, they seemed to be some smart decisions made, even though the Colts lagged far behind other teams in the number of free agents they chose to sign.
Still, there are a lot of holes remaining on the roster left to fill, and the Colts are still in serious need of more depth across numerous positions. The first day frenzy of free agency is over, but there is still plenty more talent to be found. Who should the Colts focus on for Day 2?
Charles Omenihu/DE-Kansas City Chiefs
After two years with the Chiefs, Omenihu is moving on, and Indianapolis could be a perfect place for him to land. The Colts need a strong defensive end to play alongside Kwity Paye and Laiatu Latu, and Omenihu could definitely fit the bill. His long-running grudge against the Houston Texans, one of the Colts' divisional rivals.
Originally from Houston, Omenihu was drafted by his hometown team, and was evidently thrilled. But when he got traded to the San Francisco 49ers, there evidently had been some bad blood between Omenihu and the Texans. “I’m gonna make this clear: I don’t f*** with the Texans organization at all," he said. "And I cannot wait to play them boys. I literally cannot wait.”
That grudge has not died down. When the Chiefs played the Texans in the 2024 playoffs, he was open about how excited he was to defeat them. Now just imagine if he had the chance to go against them twice a year - talk about motivation.
Will Fries/OG-Indianapolis Colts
This one is a no-brainer. Re-signing Fries should be a top priority for Ballard, as Fries is an incredibly in-demand free agent, and he's steadily improved each year since 2022, when he first stepped in as a starter. He's been named by PFF as the best right guard in the NFL, and though he did suffer a season-ending tibia fracture last year, he is evidently healing well, and there are not said to be any concerns about him returning to form once he's able to play again.
"I know I'm gonna be the same player that I was," he said. "I have zero doubt about it. There's going to be no problems at all. That's my plan."
Daniel Jones/QB-Minnesota Vikings
The Colts need a backup QB, as it's assumed that Joe Flacco is going to walk, and Ballard has publicly said that, while current QB1 Anthony Richardson is the presumed starter for 2025, he will also need to compete to keep his job. The presumptive best pick for the Colts, Justin Fields, has already been snatched up by the Jets, so that leaves Daniel Jones as the next best option.
It's been called one of the juiciest rumors in the league, so the mutual interest between the Colts organization and Jones is no secret. The only potential problem is whether or not Jones is happy accepting the possibility of remaining a backup; yes, he can compete for the QB1 job, but if Richardson does show the needed improvement, Jones could end up staying where he is now, at QB2. Whether or not that's acceptable to him is unclear.
Mekhi Becton/OG-Philadelphia Eagles
Becton was rumored to be a possible candidate for the Colts, largely to serve as a potential replacement for Fries. Ideally, Ballard would keep Fries and sign Becton, but if Fries walks, then the need to sign this Super Bowl champion is even greater.
The Eagles reportedly are not close to making any kind of deal to keep Becton, despite him being named one of the top 50 free agents in the NFL.
Juwan Johnson/TE-New Orleans Saints
The Colts are in desperate need of a tight end. It's widely been assumed they'll draft one, but that would leave them with a rookie who will need time to settle into the position. And in the mean time, the Colts' current tight end room is notoriously bad. Signing a talented veteran and letting some of the current tight ends go would make a lot of sense.
Enter Juwan Johnson. He's the Saints' top tight end, and he is a huge threat when it comes to receiving. The Colts currently don't have a true receiving tight end, and Johnson can provide that, as well as good blocking ability.