It’s nearly time for the Indianapolis Colts to literally put their money where their mouth is after general manager Chris Ballard committed to being more active and aggressive in closing deals to bring in outside players.

The NFL’s big free-agent period begins on Monday at 12:00 p.m. E.T., with players able to sign with new teams on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. E.T.

If we take Ballard and the Colts at their word, then it’s safe to assume they’ll pull in more impactful outside players than the two backups they signed last offseason.

For this purpose, I have put together a list of 25 players who the Colts should target this offseason.
The players are broken into five groups, and each player within each group is ranked by my preference.

The Colts want to create competition for quarterback Anthony Richardson, but they also need insurance behind him, as Richardson has missed 17 games due to injury in his two years.

QB Justin Fields (26), Steelers: Whether the Colts want to put Anthony Richardson in a true competition as the starter or just want someone who’s going to be a constant presence behind him to push him, Fields is a solid option. Fields has similar strengths (and weaknesses) as Richardson, so the playbook wouldn’t have to be drastically altered if Richardson got injured, and the Colts would still have the mobile element from their quarterback. However, the Colts would certainly have competition against teams who want Fields to be their outright starter.

QB Daniel Jones (28), Vikings: With fellow Minnesota Vikings free agent Sam Darnold all but guaranteed to land elsewhere to start, the Vikings reportedly want Jones back alongside J.J. McCarthy. However, the Colts have apparently had their sights set on Jones as well. Jones steadily rose early in his career, earning a huge contract extension after a standout 2022 season, but injuries and poor play from him and around him tanked that. Jones ultimately asked for his release from the New York Giants and landed with the Vikings, giving himself a chance to re-center and catch his breath. Is he now better for it?

QB Jameis Winston (31), Browns: Winston could provide Richardson with a productive backup and someone who can start if Richardson misses games due to injury. Winston is chaotic on the field but not afraid of anything. He will give you a completion percentage of around 60 and a yards per attempt of around 7.0 or higher, but he will also turn the ball over. The Colts could go with a timid, vanilla backup QB who they hope moves the offense behind a strong run game or someone like Winston, who takes you on a roller coaster of emotions. At least with Winston, the passing game is wide open.

The Colts arguably haven’t use the trade market enough to acquire players over the years, but it’s still an option.

DE Trey Hendrickson (30), Bengals: Veterans with a year left on their deals are selling cheap on the trade market right now, but Hendrickson does lead the NFL in sacks over the last two years. A broad trade package probably includes a 2025 Day-2 draft pick as well as signing Hendrickson to a new deal with a floor of $30 million per year. The Colts can create more cap space with restructures to players like DeForest Buckner, Michael Pittman Jr., or Quenton Nelson, and they could revisit the contracts of Braden Smith and Samson Ebukam as well, whether it means re-doing the deal or releasing the player. Considering Hendrickson’s ties to Colts coaches Lou Anarumo and Charlie Partridge, this move is not farfetched.

CB Greg Newsome II (25), Browns: Newsome is a former first-round pick who struggled with inconsistency and ultimately fell out of favor with the Browns. Perhaps a change of scenery would do the talented, young corner well, and perhaps at the price of just a Day-3 pick. He could still be an ascending player in the right circumstances, especially after making some of the biggest plays of his career in just the last two years.

This should be an offseason of change for the Colts — out with the old and in with the new. However, there are still a couple of in-house free agents they should try to keep around.

G Will Fries (27), Colts: The Colts want Fries back, but I believe there is concern about how commanding his market could get. Interior offensive linemen have been getting paid big bucks the last couple of years, and Fries has been one of the best young players at his position in that time. He suffered a season-ending leg injury early in the 2024 season, but if his medicals clear, he’s a slam dunk for any team.

DL Dayo Odeyingbo (25), Colts: There’s a pretty good chance that Fries and Odeyingbo are the Colts’ top two in-house priorities, as both are still young, ascending players who the Colts drafted and were patient in developing. However, the Colts will definitely have competition for Odeyingbo. At the Combine, I heard multiple times how high of a target he was for a couple of other teams. NFL Media‘s Tom Pelissero said Odeyingbo could get a contract with a per-year salary of $16-$20 million, which is probably too much for the Colts to spend on a guy they’ve never intentionally made a full-time starter. While Odeyingbo being back would be great, I doubt the Colts win a bidding war for him.

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You sign these guys to start and be difference makers for you right away. Not only do they add competition, but the depth at their positions raises a grade as well.

FS Jevon Holland (25), Dolphins: Anarumo is going to need an unquestionable player at free safety, and one of the league’s best is set to hit the open market. PFF compared Holland’s free agency to that of Jessie Bates a couple of years ago. Bates, of course, is one of the best players that Anarumo has coached in the NFL.

CB Charvarius “Mooney” Ward (29), 49ers: Ward is the kind of player with a winning background that the Colts need. He won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019-20 and was a Pro Bowler and Second-Team All-Pro with the 49ers in 2023. He’s been in the playoffs in six of his seven seasons, and has started 89-of-102 career games.

LB Jamien Sherwood (25), Jets: With starting linebacker C.J. Mosley dealing with injuries, the New York Jets turned to Sherwood last season, and he answered in a significant way. His 158 tackles easily led the team, which included 10 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. The former safety-turned-linebacker posted solid grades across the board, according to PFF, with a 77.1 in run defense and 66.2 in coverage.

FS Justin Reid (28), Chiefs: There’s nothing the Colts shouldn’t like about Reid. He’s a good player who’s had success with the Houston Texans and Chiefs, winning two of the last three Super Bowls, and on the field, he can play deep or in the box adequately. He’s got great instincts and football I.Q. and would be a strong example for the Colts’ younger players.

LB Ernest Jones IV (25), Seahawks: Jones is kind of an odd situation. He came onto the scene with the Los Angeles Rams between 2021-23, winning a Super Bowl as a rookie. He was then traded twice in 2024, to the Tennessee Titans and then Seattle Seahawks. It later came out that Jones had surgery this offseason for a knee injury that his agent, Ira Turner, said Jones had been dealing with for over a year. This could cause Jones to sign a little later than many other free agents but could also make him come a little cheaper. If he can regain his 2023 form, where he had 145 tackles (14 for loss), 4.5 sacks, and 6 pass breakups in just 15 games, he could be a huge acquisition for the Colts.

CB D.J. Reed (28), Jets: Reed is undersized at 5’9″, 188, but he’s been a proven player at corner for years now, posting a PFF grade above 70 for six consecutive seasons. In that time, he’s allowed a catch percentage of just 58.8%.

FS Tre’Von Moehrig (26), Raiders: You should be sensing a theme by now that free safety is quite important in Anarumo’s defense. Moehrig is a young, rangy, athletic player who is already strong against the run and still developing in coverage. He also has seven takeaways in the last two seasons.

DT B.J. Hill (30), Bengals: There aren’t many great Anarumo connections in this year’s free-agent pool, but Hill is the best one. The idea here is this: Buckner (almost 31), Grover Stewart (31), and Hill (30) are all excellent defensive tackles but aren’t getting any younger. If the Colts want a constant presence in the middle of the defensive line that can stop the run and put pressure on the backfield, then rotating these three is a great way to do it. How well has it worked to have Taven Bryan, Raekwon Davis, Adetomiwa Adebawore, and Eric Johnson as the backups?

FS Camryn Bynum (27), Vikings: Bynum really got into the spotlight this season with his turnover celebrations, but he’s actually been a productive player for a couple years now. Since 2023, Bynum has 233 tackles (4 for loss), 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumbles recovered, 5 interceptions, and 19 pass breakups. He also hasn’t missed a start in the last three years.

CB Paulson Adebo (26), Saints: Adebo has steadily grown throughout his four years and was on his way to a career season in 2024 before a broken femur in Week 7 ended it prematurely.The recovery time should reportedly allow him to participate when football activities begin again in the NFL. The Colts need a more proven veteran presence in the secondary. Adding a playmaker like Adebo, who has accounted for nine takeaways the last two years, into a group featuring the oft-injured JuJu Brents, as well as Kenny Moore II, Jaylon Jones, and Samuel Womack III, provides more adequate depth and competition.

S Talanoa Hufanga (25), 49ers: Hufanga took the league by storm, quickly becoming one of the NFL’s best safeties against both the run and pass and earning First-Team All-Pro status in 2022 before a torn ACL ended his 2023 season prematurely. The 2024 season was mostly about recovery, as he saw just seven games. However, more than a year removed from the injury, Hufanga should be as good as new.

LB Dre Greenlaw (28), 49ers: Greenlaw had a two-year stretch as one of the best linebackers in football before he suffered an Achilles injury in the 2023-24 Super Bowl. He got back for a couple of games in 2024 but should be good to go in 2025. If his medicals check out and he’s fully recovered, the Colts could get an impact player and someone with a winning pedigree at linebacker on a discount.

CB Kristian Fulton (27), Chargers: Fulton was a highly regarded player in the 2020 draft, going to the Titans in the second round. However, he dealt with injuries through his first four years but finally seemed to find his footing last season with the Los Angeles Chargers. He would be a solid, still-young player to add to a Colts cornerback room that needs more depth and talent.

CB Carlton Davis III (28), Lions: Jones and Womack are nice stories and truly productive players. However, the Colts need more at outside corner given Brents’ inability to stay on the field. Davis has his own issues staying healthy, but he would not be relied on to be a full-time player in this scenario. He’s also won a Super Bowl, has been in the playoffs for five straight seasons, and is regarded as a leader, so he knows what it takes to win.

CB Rasul Douglas (31), Bills: Similar to Davis, the Colts need a veteran presence like Douglas at corner. He’s on the older side but has been a playmaker throughout his career, posting 22 career takeaways (including three seasons with at least four) and has scored three touchdowns.

These guys have been special teamers and spot starters to start their careers but show potential to grow into more given the opportunity.

DE Chauncey Golston (27), Cowboys: Golston has seen more and more work in his first four years with the Dallas Cowboys, culminating in a 13-start 2024 season where he put up new career bests in tackles (56), tackles for loss (5), sacks (5.5), QB hits (8), interceptions (1), and pass breakups (5). If the Colts are looking for ascending players who can be around for a bit, then Golston is a great option.

LB Nephi Sewell (26), Saints: Sewell is primarily a special teams player, but has been asked to play significant time at WILL linebacker in two games over the last two seasons and stepped up mightily in both. He had 8 tackles and 2 tackles for loss each in both games, adding a sack in the second contest. At worst, with Sewell, you get a solid special teams player. At best, you get an ascending player who could compete with Jaylon Carlies to potentially replace E.J. Speed at WILL.

LB Jalen Graham (24), 49ers: Purdue fans know who this is but not many others. Graham was a seventh-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2023 and appeared in four games. He then spent some time on the Washington Commanders practice squad before returning to the 49ers and getting back on the active roster. He’s posted really solid grades in his brief time on defense and has a wealth of special teams experience as well. If you’re looking for someone who could compete for that WILL spot, I’ve got a dark horse.

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The Indianapolis Colts elected to largely disregard the exterior free agent market last offseason, only sealing the deal on two newcomers, both of whom were backups. However, this year, they almost have no choice but to get more active. General manager Chris Ballard has vowed to, at least.

The Colts have several in-house free agents who make more sense to leave this year rather than return, and some of the holes will likely need to be plugged with outside players on the market.

The big NFL free agency boom begins next week, and Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports decided to make a cool exercise out of it, applying the ever-popular NFL mock draft model to that of free agency. “(We) imagined where some of the best available veterans would end up if all 32 teams were allowed to ‘sign’ them — not in order of lowest NFL standing, like the draft, but rather in projected salary cap space,” Benjamin explained.

In this mock, Colts’ starting right guard Will Fries comes off the board to the Minnesota Vikings with the seventh overall pick. While Fries is arguably the Colts’ top free agent this year, he is expected to garner plenty of attention on the market

Because the draft order in this projection is based on salary cap space, the Colts picked 18th, and Benjamin gave them Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman.

“A new center won’t fix their clear lack of reliability at quarterback,” Benjamin wrote. “But Dalman has flashed rock-steady stuff, and at 26, he could be a long-term replacement for the aging Ryan Kelly.”

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Dalman (6’3″, 305, 26 years old) is one of the top interior linemen in the free agent market and is said to be a priority for Atlanta to bring back.

Since being drafted by the Falcons in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft, he has steadily improved into an above-average NFL center. Dalman became a starter in 2022 and has since has started the last 40 games he’s appeared in. He has graded well, ranking 15th among NFL centers in 2022, according to Pro Football Focus, third in 2023, and tied for 13th in 2024.

While Dalman — the son of former San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Chris Dalman — seems like a low-risk signing, there is an issue to note, as Drew Dalman missed 11 games the last two years due to ankle injuries.

The need for a player like Dalman opens up as Colts free-agent center Ryan Kelly is set to potentially leave next week. Backups Danny Pinter and Wesley French are free agents as well. The Colts do have 2024 rookie Tanor Bortolini to fall back on as the starter if they choose, but Benjamin slates a direct veteran-for-veteran replacement in this scenario.

The new league year and subsequent “beginning” to free agency arrives next week. NFL teams may begin negotiating contracts with outside players beginning at 12:00 p.m. E.T. on Monday, March 10 until 3:59 p.m. E.T. on Wednesday, March 12. At 4:00 p.m. E.T., teams can officially begin signing new players.

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