The Indianapolis Colts Offseason
The To-Do List
2022 Dream Draft Pick: Boye Mafe
The Indianapolis Colts made a mistake by trading for Carson Wentz giving up their first round pick in a monstrous edge rusher class and decided to trade him away anyways for some 3rd round picks but with the 47th pick in the draft the Colts should hope the Boye Mafe is available for them to chose. Mafe has been one of the fastest rising edge rusher prospects in the draft after an exceptional Senior Bowl and NFL combine performance and he would pair very nicely with defensive Kwity Paye and could form a menacing pass rush in the AFC South.
Resign Quenton Nelson
It's always a bit odd to advocate paying players early but when you have a player of Quenton Nelson's caliber on your offensive line with him being a 4x pro bowler and 3x All-Pro in his first four years in the league, you need to set the market for this players next contract before anybody else does and even though it's expensive now, he'll be much cheaper for his production than the next contract. Quenton Nelson came out of Notre Dame as a generationally talented HOF level prospect and so far hasn't come short of his expectations and the Indianapolis Colts need to jump his contract to ensure that they can lock him up at their price and not someone else's because there is nothing worse than signing guy late and having to pay the for his stock at its highest. Quenton Nelson right now is on a HOF path of success and the Colts certainly have certainly benefited from mauling in the trenches that opened up lane's for the MVP candidate Jonathan Taylor. If the Colts were to sign him now it would be a around $17,000,000 per year deal but if they wait I can certainly see it skyrocketing towards $20,000,000 and could make signing and resigning players a more difficult task.
trade Carson Wentz? Pros and COns of such a move
The Carson Wentz era might be over before it ever really started after he cost the Indianapolis Colts a playoff berth after having one of the most epic and awesome late season collapses in recent memory with Carson Wentz losing to 2021's worst NFL team in the Jacksonville Jaguars and turned what was the most feared team in the NFL at the time into the biggest joke in the league. It's been heavily reported that owner Jim Irsay and general manager Chris Ballard are disgusted with him and a trade market for the talented quarterback with questionable football IQ has begun to heat up and I am conflicted with trading the quarterback this offseason as the move could be a sideways maneuver. Carson Wentz may not be a Top 10 quarterback in the NFL and his loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars might be the worst in recent memory but Carson Wentz from a statistical standpoint had a very good year and this team certainly has the staff around him to make him better. This could be cutting off you nose to spite your face more that addition by subtraction but here's a pros and cons list for the potential move.
Unless Green Bay is interested in trading Aaron Rodgers or Seattle is interested in trading Russell Wilson for Wentz plus obvious mega draft compensation, I wouldn't be trading or cutting him at all. Wentz can have success in the Indianapolis and the Colts would certainly be making a backwards move by getting rid of him. He and Frank Richt work well together and this team made an investment in him when the traded with Philly for him and seeing this move through is their best option.
- Pros
- It would clear off around $13,300,000 in cap room for them to either go after another quarterback if one finds themselves in free agency as well have enough cap room to trade for a quarterback and have him fit under the cap comfortably.
- They could get back into the first round potentially and go after a quarterback if they like one and a team is looking for a more veteran presence.
- He could be a nice bargaining chip for the Green Packers or a Seattle Seahawks whose quarterbacks potentially want out of the organization and these would certainly take Wentz plus plenty of 1st round picks considering the Colts are in another conference entirely.
- It would send a message to the team that bad play in clutch moments is unacceptable and could boost the productivity of others on the team in 2022.
- It would clear off around $13,300,000 in cap room for them to either go after another quarterback if one finds themselves in free agency as well have enough cap room to trade for a quarterback and have him fit under the cap comfortably.
- Cons
- You have already traded assets to get him in Indianapolis and you'll be eating $15,000,000 in dead money.
- Teams will take advantage of their rash decision and get Carson Wentz for a bargain rather than what the Colts paid for him and the move would certainly hurt this teams future.
- He's only ever played with coach Frank Richt and the NFL knows it and teams that could be interested in the quarterback will take this into account.
- There isn't a quarterback in the NFL draft or free agent market that could effectively be an upgrade over Wentz so trading away or cutting him as some are reporting would potentially be a backwards move for the organization.
Unless Green Bay is interested in trading Aaron Rodgers or Seattle is interested in trading Russell Wilson for Wentz plus obvious mega draft compensation, I wouldn't be trading or cutting him at all. Wentz can have success in the Indianapolis and the Colts would certainly be making a backwards move by getting rid of him. He and Frank Richt work well together and this team made an investment in him when the traded with Philly for him and seeing this move through is their best option.
Get a receiver if T.Y. Hilton retires: Draft or Free agency
T.Y. Hilton has had a very good NFL career in Indianapolis and his NFL could be coming to an end if he wants to retire this offseason and the Colts would need to find his replacement if he decides to ride off into the sunset and with the Colts lacking a Day selection it could make for an interesting decision in free agency.
T.Y. Hilton is likely to hang up his cleats and become a Indianapolis legend and Colts need to find guys to replace him in 2022. Whoever the quarterback is in 2022 for this team needs to have more weapons to throw to and any of the potential free agents or draftees would certainly fill the void left behind by Hilton.
- Free Agency: The Indianapolis Colts cap space in 2022 is over $37,000,000 and singing one of the best receivers available in free agency should be a problem for them. This crop of receivers in free agency include Chris Godwin, Allen Robinson, and potentially Davante Adams if he the Green Bay Packers don't tag him and the certainly have the fire power and cache to enter a bidding war for any of them. The Indianapolis Colts will likely need to get quarterback on the roster that can entice one of these players and certainly could be a lure to reel in a big free agent fish at the position.
- Draft: Without a Day 1 selection the Colts can kiss their chance of drafting one of the top 5 receivers in the NFL draft goodbye and probably won't have much of a shot at getting any of the receiver that are expected to fall in the draft but two guys I think the Colts could have a shot at is David Bell or George Pickens. David Bell is a tremendous run after catch receiver with good hands and nice build to him and could a great playmaker in him with their run based offense. George Pickens is another receiver that might be available and certainly is enticing with his elite size, athleticism, and playmaking ability and injury concerns combined with lacking game tape of him could push him out of Day 1 for the Colts to potentially capitalize on it.
T.Y. Hilton is likely to hang up his cleats and become a Indianapolis legend and Colts need to find guys to replace him in 2022. Whoever the quarterback is in 2022 for this team needs to have more weapons to throw to and any of the potential free agents or draftees would certainly fill the void left behind by Hilton.