Are any worth keeping?
 

Here's a list of potential free agents for the Colts. Not seeing very many worth re-signing. I'd be curious what the rest of you feel.

Ryan Kelly, center, 31, $15.36 million

Mo Alie-Cox, tight end, 31, $5.92 million

E.J. Speed, linebacker, 29, $5.46 million

Ashton Dulin, wide receiver, 27, $3.68 million

Dayo Odeyingbo, edge rusher, 25, $1.97 million

Kylen Granson, tight end, 26, $3.3 million

Julian Blackmon, safety, 26, $3.89 million

Cameron McGrone, linebacker, 24, $985,000

Sam Ehlinger, quarterback, 26, $1.09 million

Will Fries, offensive line, 26, $3.24 million

Rigoberto Sanchez, punter, 30, $2.5 million

Joe Flacco, quarterback, 39, $4.5 million

Grant Stuard, linebacker, 26, $1.06 million

Wesley French, offensive lineman, 28, $988,344

Chris Lammons, cornerback, 28, $1.06 million

Taven Bryan, defensive tackle, 28, $2.25 million

Tyler Goodson, running back, 24, $915,000

Danny Pinter, offensive lineman, 28, $1.22 million

Ronnie Harrison, safety, 27, $547,222

David Long, cornerback, 26, $656,667

Trey Sermon, running back, 25, $1,06 million

Juwann Winfree, wide receiver, 28, $570,000

Trevor Denbow, safety, 26, $985,000


Ryan Coll, offensive lineman, 23, $470,000

Segun Olubi, linebacker, 25, $915,000

Maybe, Will Fries. The rest can go

If there isn’t an immediate FA replacement idk why we wouldn’t resign Sanchez I guess that’s not an exceptionally difficult position to replace, though. .

If we can get Dayo for a year or two cheap, why not? Maybe a new DC gets something out of him.

I understand it’s a business but i’d like them to bring Fries back in the building

Dulin gives us a wide skill set so I think there’s still value there.

I think the rest are a wash, mostly.

From this list, these are the ones I think are worth keeping around


Ashton Dulin, wide receiver, 27, $3.68 million

Dayo Odeyingbo, edge rusher, 25, $1.97 million


Will Fries, offensive line, 26, $3.24 million

Rigoberto Sanchez, punter, 30, $2.5 million


Grant Stuard, linebacker, 26, $1.06 million

Wesley French, offensive lineman, 28, $988,344


Danny Pinter, offensive lineman, 28, $1.22 million

Ronnie Harrison, safety, 27, $547,222


Segun Olubi, linebacker, 25, $915,000

Dulin, and Stuard for STs. Dayo, because he will not command too much, and is a good rotational piece. Fries, because he was a top RG when healthy. Sanchez, because he is a good punter.

Kelly is going to retire, I think. The rest are very meh.

Maybe keep French, just for the memes

Agree w/ Dulin and Stuard for STs and Sanchez as well.

If we can get Dayo back on a 1 year show me deal or 2 years for cheap then I would keep him as well to see if he can turn things around and get back to his 2023 form.

If not for the injury we probably would have had to let Fries walk, but b/c of it I think we can get him for a 1 year reasonable deal, which I think we should.

French and Goodson would be ok at their respective minimums.

Guessing Glow is not on the list b/c he's on the PS, but I would bring him back for the vet minimum if possible.

Thoughts on Braden Smith?

if cut before June 1, cap hit is 3,000,000 after June 1 cap hit 16,750,000.

He's gone downhill dramatically, and is not worth 16 mil. Lose him.

Contract re-negotiated:
2025 salary= $29.7M
2026 salary= $32.9M
2027 salary= $48.5M
2028 salary= 105.3M

Signed,
Chris Ballard

We Like our Guys

I heard that the lead ground crew guy can really spin it. I say we keep him on a 6 year contract.

6'6" 348 and threw for 2,257 in 8th grade. Was a team captain to boot. This is a LOCK!

this is my list as well

maybe keep Pinter if he is dirt cheap as a backup

wouldn't keep Kelly even if he doesn't retire

really curious what kind of personal matter keeps a guy out 6 weeks. that seems unheard of

My hunch says he told Chris Ballard he was a piece of shit and wouldn't play for him any longer.

Since then Ballard has been working on re-doing his contract to give him more guaranteed money next year.

Don't think the June 1 deadline is correct. At least per OTC which shows he's $3M in dead money and $16.75M savings whether he's released before or after June 1. But either way he hasn't been able to stay healthy, so unless he's willing to take a bit paycut it's time to move on. And w/ whatever he has going on off the field he may just hang it up anyway.

My guess is that an immediate family member(s) has some serious health problems going on.

Something else to consider is both Raimann and Pierce are eligible for extensions. Guessing we'd want to at least get Raimann signed for long term.

he isn't a fucking doctor

Not sure what that has to do w/ anything related to my comment. Say his wife is terminally ill and he has to be home full time to take care of her and their kids. He can't be expected to be in the facility all day 5-6 days a week.

He’s no longer listed as out because of a personal matter. It’s now the non football illness list. I would hate to guess what’s going on with him, but it doesn’t seem like this is some sort of personal vacation with him. With any luck, the illness isn’t potentially terminal.

I thought Goncalves was decent which makes the decision on Smith that much easier.

As for the rest, Dulin, Stuard, Rigo, and Fries would be worth resigning. Maybe Dayo.

Fries, no question. There are only so many premium draft picks, and I don’t want to use one on a position where I already have a solution.

Second, Ryan Kelly. I know he’s over 30, and you usually avoid those guys like the plague; but…. The line play is much more cohesive and effective when he’s on the field. With any luck, Tanor Bortolini develops, but the bottom line is that 2025 is a make or break season. If Anthony Richardson doesn’t make the leap, heads will roll, starting with the general manager and head coach. If I’m the GM, my highest priority is to give Anthony Richardson a clean pocket.

At 30 years old, EJ Speed is someone I bring back if the price is right, if for no other reason than not signing him would create a hole that would have to be filled. I don’t kid myself…Linebacker is a real need. We simply have to find someone who stands a glimmer of a chance of covering opposing Tight Ends and Running Backs. But to me, that’s a midterm issue, not something that sits on the front burner.

Dayo Odeyingbo is a clear maybe. I could be wrong, but I see potential, and I wonder if he’d be more effective in a different system, with a different defensive coordinator. Right now, the day after the season ended, Gus Bradley‘s status is up in the air. If Gus is gone, whoever replaces him might be able to better utilize Dayo.

Dulin and Stuard for their value on special teams.

Just curious. Kelly is a free agent. What would be your offer/solution for keeping him?

4 year deal structured so that he can be cut after year 2 with little pain. $10 Million signing bonus with a minimum first year salary. First year cap hit around $4 Million. 2nd year cap hit $6 Million, 3rd year $8 Million, 4th year $12 Million.

To prettify it up and pad the value to make it look more lucrative, toss in a few workout bonuses, guarantee the first year and year 2 for injury, add a bonus for making the pro bowl, and a roster bonus in year 4.

In total, a partially guaranteed $40 Million over 4 years. In reality, 2 years $16 Million.

bringing back Kelly and speed is moronic.

especially speed. dude should have been cut weeks ago. he sucks

On MacAfee just now they had a bit on Payton's decision of picking Nix and their confidence in him. 3 GREAT statements stood out:

1- We don't want to pick linebackers that can't tackle
2- We don't want WR's that can't catch
3- We don't want a QB that isn't accurate. Accuracy is everything.

Then went on to talk about the huge # of passes they had him throw for them. Started talking about how EVERY short pass he threw, which are the passes that have to be accurate were on the correct shoulder and they knew they had the guy they wanted.

Imagine this same conversation with Ballard:
1- We don't really think tackling is the main trait in a linebacker. We like guys that are really focused on mic skills. If they can spit a good game, then they are gonna be good backers. We want guys with personality, guys that make a lot of noise about themselves. Self Promotion is a trait we really value in our guys!
2- WR's, catching is probably a bit overrated. We have a guy in mind, during the draft prep he told us he liked to check out chicks on IG as a priority, and who doesn't, and he also said he thought his catching skills were good and we believe him, so we're pretty sure he is our guy.
3- Well QB accuracy, that's something I think people USED to worry about. I don't think accuracy is something we are really gonna put a lot of value on in the QB analysis. We are looking for big guys with big arms and big holes that we will never be able to fill.

The current time is 1:00 PM ET
Gus Bradley remains the Colts DC

FUCK YOU JIM IRSAY!

Ryan Kelly has been the Colts center for 9 years and in only 1 of those seasons has he played in every game. This past year he played in just under 60% of the games. He was a great center, but his body has taken a toll and I expect that if he doesn't retire, he won't play in even 50% of his games next season. I can't see bringing him back.

I don’t see Speed as a long term answer, but I don’t want to spend much draft capital on the position…this year. If I sign him, it’s to a short term deal at a minimum number. I might feel differently if there was a lot of depth at LB.

As far as Kelly is concerned, bringing him back might be moronic, but I’m not foolish enough to depend on Tanor Bartolini making the leap, being ready to step up and play at a high level.

I get that Kelly is on the downside of his career. But, if Braden Smith isn’t able to return, I think you need every ounce of continuity you can buy. Right now, it’s a coin flip whether Richardson develops. Replacing the entire right side of the OL is the last thing he needs.

E

He’s not going anywhere. Colts grand plan is to run it all back.

I understand what you are saying. its just what your saying is moronic and nobody should want to do what you are saying.


any lbers can replace speed. carlies is already here to do it. Kelly is old, hurt a lot and is marginally, if at all, a better player that bortolini

I can see the reasoning for bringing Kelly back. But, the most I'm offering is a 2 year deal, which can essentially be 1 year deal.

But, I also consider moving him to RG, due to the Fries injury. My main reasoning for this is 2022, when Ballard banked on Pinter and Pryor to replace Glowinski and Castonzo. We absolutely cannot do that again.

So, you’re saying we entrust a starting LB position to a player who missed half his rookie year to injury; a guy who, in the one full game he played, got a run D grade of 38?

As far as Kelly’s concerned, Bortolini might be the future, but the line simply performs better when he’s on the field.

For me the point is that accepting mediocrity just become someone is “our guy” is stupid and just breeds more mediocrity. That’s what Ballard keeps doing and what retaining Speed would be. Speed isn’t good enough, so why reward his play? His level of performance is easily replaceable. Replace him with someone who either has a chance to grow or someone who is on the down swing that brings an intangible that Speed clearly doesn’t - like leadership or professionalism. The culture in that locker room sucks. They need to quit rewarding mediocrity for the sake of continuity.

Yep. The holdover for the sake of holdover until the next draft / FA to replace, has led us to this very shitty landing spot. The time has come to shed all the chafe in that motherfucker, and there is a LOT of it!

Fuck, let both LB's go. Franklin is a cancer. WTF is this stupid shit with 8 captains anyway?

I liked Speed when he first got called up from st. I think he just got complacent.