The Indianapolis Colts have in-house free agents to make critical decisions about ahead of an important 2025 campaign with plenty of implications on the line.
Chris Ballard has to make all the right decisions and it won't be easy with so many expectations surrounding him and the Indy franchise.
In an article from ESPN, the top 100 free agents available are ranked, with five Colts hitting the list. Let's start from back to front and highlight each, along with their rank.
Starting this piece is a safety who dipped in 2024 due to injury and missed tackles.
Julian Blackmon | Safety (#87)
Julian Blackmon has been with the Colts since 2020 and has provided solid play when he stays healthy. In 2024 he played through the year with a shoulder injury and didn't look himself at all. He whiffed on a whopping 15 tackles, 160th out of 170 eligible safeties per Pro Football Focus.
Blackmon's statistics look good, as he built 86 tackles, four passes defended, and three interceptions. However, his entire play didn't seem consistent or promising. Blackmon likely won't be retained by Indy, but it's mostly due to injury history. Expect Blackmon to land elsewhere on a cheap one-year deal to prove he can perform and stay on the field.
E.J. Speed | Linebacker (#79)
Linebacker E.J. Speed put himself into the discussion for one of the NFL's best run defenders in 2023. He also had a career year with 102 tackles (12 for loss) and three forced fumbles. While some of these don't add up to his 2024 (142 tackles and first career interception), he looked bad in coverage and on-field pedigree.
Speed posted some underwhelming Pro Football Focus grades of 46.3 coverage (146th out of 189 eligible linebackers) and 56.7 overall. Speed can ball when it comes to stuffing a ground attack but isn't worth re-signing for Indianapolis due to his one-trick play style. But, if a franchise needs a talent like Speed, he's worth the contract.
Ryan Kelly | Center (#42)
Colts 2024 captain and long-time center Ryan Kelly has four Pro Bowls to his name and has established himself in past years as the best in his position. However, injuries and age are catching up with the veteran, mostly the former.
Kelly is at the end of his prime and the Colts know it. While it's a very difficult choice to not retain a nine-year franchise pillar like Kelly (121 games, all starts), it's needed. He'll cost too much for what the Colts can do by turning to Tanor Bortolini. However, expect Kelly's name to be etched in the Ring of Honor for Indy at some point. He'll make a great signing for a center-needy squad.
Dayo Odeyingbo | Defensive Edge (#35)
Dayo Odeyingbo isn't a starter but possesses brutal strength for any offensive protector to handle. Odeyingbo had pedestrian sack (3.0) and tackle (31) numbers, but it was his quarterback pressures that stood out most for 2024.
Odeyingbo played the seventh-most snaps (746) and still led the team in pressures (42). Odeyingbo will probably command way more than the Colts are willing to pay. Per Spotrac, Odeyingbo's market value is $16 million, which is out of Indy's price range given the room still has Tyquan Lewis (free agent), Samson Ebukam returning from injury, Laiatu Latu, and Kwity Paye. Odeyingbo will make a huge addition to his next suitor's defensive trenches.
Will Fries | Guard (#14)
Colts guard Will Fries was a beast on the offensive line last year but suffered a broken leg that required surgery in Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Till that point, he was dominant and one of the best guards in football.
Per Pro Football Focus, Fries finished fourth of 135 guards in overall offensive mark at 86.9. He also pulverized in the ground game for Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor. He'll cost money, but it's one hundred percent worth it. The Colts need to make keeping Fries the top internal free agency priority.
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