The 2023 NFL campaign always looked like a transitional year for the Indianapolis Colts, and it trended even further in that direction after first-round rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in Week 5.
But Indy made things interesting at the end of the season, nearly securing a playoff berth in Week 18 with backup QB Gardner Minshew under center.
Minshew is part of an intriguing group of Colts free agents scheduled to hit the open market, but he’s hardly the club’s most critical FA. Which players will general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen try to retain?
Who Are the Indianapolis Colts’ Upcoming Free Agents?
WR Michael Pittman Jr.
Colts running back Jonathan Taylor would have been a free agent next offseason had he not agreed to a three-year, $42 million extension with Indianapolis following a lengthy public dispute. Michael Pittman Jr. was clearly watching how the Taylor scenario played out.
“The way I see it is teams take care of their guys. If you’re not one of their guys, you’re not one of their guys,” Pittman said in October. “I’m just playing day to day and auditioning for 31 teams and just going out there and making a couple plays. I have a commitment to my teammates.”
The Colts will have more than $70 million in 2024 cap space, so they’ll have plenty of room to keep Pittman around. If the former second-round pick keeps up his current trajectory, he’ll join an elite group of receivers, most of whom have already been extended.
Pittman finished his fourth NFL season with more than 3,500 career receiving yards and 15 career touchdowns.
MORE: NFL WR Rankings 2023
Since 2018, only six WRs have hit those thresholds through four years: Justin Jefferson, Diontae Johnson, CeeDee Lamb, DK Metcalf, Terry McLaurin, and A.J. Brown.
Jefferson and Lamb are still awaiting new contracts, but the other four have received new deals. Brown is the highest-paid at $25 million per season, while Johnson brings up the rear at $18.36 million annually.
Pittman should slot in somewhere in that range, with a three-year, $69 million deal potentially making sense for both sides. With Taylor under contract and no other obvious franchise tag candidates on the roster, the Colts could use the tender to retain Pittman if they can’t reach an extension.
RB Zack Moss
While Zack Moss ceded his role as the Colts’ RB1 once Taylor returned from injury, Moss more than proved he’s a capable NFL back. He cleared 120 rushing yards in two of his five starts and also contributed to the passing game, adding 14 catches for 110 yards and a TD.
The 25-year-old will want to find a better opportunity at a starting job next year, and rival clubs should be interested. Moss proved he can generate his own yardage, ranking fifth in rushing yards over expectation per attempt and ninth in yards after contact per attempt.
QB Gardner Minshew
Thirty-nine quarterbacks have attempted at least 1,000 passes since Gardner Minshew entered the league in 2019. He ranks 27th among that group in completion percentage over expected and 29th in EPA per play.
Minshew could theoretically return as Richardson’s backup in 2024, but it could be awkward for him to cede the locker room after starting for so much of this season. Remember, Minshew is the same guy who asked Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni what it would take to unseat Jalen Hurts as the club’s starting QB after one win over the New York Jets in 2021.
CB Kenny Moore II
Kenny Moore II has been unhappy with his contract — a four-year extension signed in 2019 that averages $8.3 million per year — since 2022, when he held out of OTAs while hoping to land a new deal. The 28-year-old corner hasn’t been able to find a middle ground with the Colts in the 18 months since, setting him up with the chance to search for a new team on the open market.
A Pro Bowler in 2021, Moore posted a rebound 2023 campaign after a down 2022 that saw him miss the final five games of the year with an ankle injury. He allowed 9.1 yards per completion, his best mark since 2019, and gave up just 0.93 yards from the slot, 11th-best among 42 CBs with at least 100 snaps inside, per PFF
Cameron Sutton’s three-year, $33 million deal with the Detroit Lions should be Moore’s starting point, with James Bradberry’s $12.67 million average annual value with the Eagles his likely ceiling.
S Julian Blackmon
After using him as a deep safety for the first three years of his career, the Colts asked Julian Blackmon to adjust his role in 2023 by spending more time in the box. He set a new career high in TFLs (five) and interceptions (four).
Blackmon, who tore his Achilles in 2021, may prefer the security of an extension with Indianapolis, if only because the 2024 safety market could be flooded with options. Antoine Winfield Jr., Kamren Curl, Xavier McKinney, Geno Stone, Kyle Dugger, and others are all on pace to reach free agency next year.
Other Colts 2024 Free Agents
- RB Trey Sermon (restricted free agent)
- WR Isaiah McKenzie
- G Jack Anderson (RFA)
- G Danny Pinter
- EDGE Genard Avery
- EDGE Tyquan Lewis
- EDGE Jacob Martin
- EDGE Al-Quadin Muhammad
- EDGe Derek Rivers
- DT Taven Bryan
- CB Tony Brown
- CB Isaac Taylor-Stuart
- S Ronnie Harrison
- P Rigoberto Sanchez
Miss football? The 2024 NFL Draft is almost here, boss. Pro Football Network has you covered with everything from team draft needs to the Top 100 prospects available. Plus, fire up PFN’s Mock Draft Simulator to put yourself in the general manager’s seat and make all the calls!
