Top 3 free agents the Indianapolis Colts should target
The franchise contract deadline has passed, and the NFL world is now turning its attention to one of the most exciting weeks of the offseason: free agency.
The Indianapolis Colts enter free agency with plenty of room to improve a roster that might otherwise be lacking. Even though Chris Ballard probably won’t spend most of his market capital on a single player, he will almost certainly look for a few valuable players who could become starters.
I’ve put together a list of a few players that I think would be a good fit for what the Colts want to do. I’ll mainly focus on defense because I think the draft is where you get the most value for improving your team offensively.
3.) EDGE Josh Uche
Most fans think advantage is the team’s best area, but I disagree. The Colts have a lot of players under contract that you don’t want to get too many pictures of, including Samson Ebukam, Dayo Odeyingbo, and Kwity Paye. However, this group lacks a certain edge, and that’s exactly what Josh Uche brings to the table. Uche is a fast guy and can turn and get to the quarterback at top speed. Last year, he found himself in a very strange situation with the New England Patriots, who ended up putting him on the trade block before they finally kept him. Despite his poor performance, Uche had a breakout season with the Patriots in 2022, finishing with 11.5 sacks, 14 QB hits, and nine tackles for loss.
Uche has almost always been the designated passer, and his price shouldn’t be too high considering his lack of production last season. Uche will likely sign for an average annual salary of $7 million to $10 million, which is within Ballard’s price range.
2.) CB Darius Williams
In fact, there are some players who wouldn’t mind seeing a Colts sign. Examples include Kendall Fuller, Chidobe Awuzie, and Donte Jackson, just to name a few. I would also like to see a Rock Yashin reunion. I chose Darius Williams because of how well he played last season. At 30 years old (31 at the start of the season), he would be an obvious short-term option. But I would say he is playing the best football of his career.
He finished the season with four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and threw and defended an incredible 19 passes. This is important when looking at the Colts’ secondary, which didn’t get the ball enough. Williams is an immediate starter, but it also gives players like Jaylon Jones a chance to develop and Darris Flowers a chance to fully recover from his season-ending injury.
1.) S Quandre Diggs
The market for this free agent veteran safety is really good. The Colts have a lot of good options, but there is one name that stands out. That’s Quandre Diggs.
Diggs is a smart, energetic free safety who can track the ball at an elite level. Over the past five seasons, he established himself as a playmaker in the secondary, throwing 18 interceptions during that span. He’s a three-time Pro Bowler and exactly the kind of leader you need in your secondary.
Whether or not Julian Blackmon returns, Diggs should be a top priority for the Colts as he has the potential to transform this backfield and bring stability to a position where it’s needed most.
