The Indianapolis Colts will have 20 free agents this spring. They can’t re-sign all of them, of course. Who should they bring back? Zack Moss is one of Indy’s top free agents. The backup running back is coming off the best season of his career. Yet, he may be too expensive to keep if he gets an offer to be a starter somewhere else. With Jonathan Taylor still on the roster, the Colts don’t necessarily have to retain Moss. But who are the five players the team needs to hold on to?
5 Free Agents the Indianapolis Colts Must Bring Back
Julian Blackmon
Julian Blackmon played free safety for the first three years of his career. The former third-round pick then switched to strong safety in 2023. This past season, Blackmon had 88 tackles (five for loss), two fumble recoveries and a quarterback hit. He also led the Colts in passes defended (eight) and interceptions (four).
Blackmon, undoubtedly Indy’s top safety, missed the last two games of the season with a shoulder injury. The team sorely missed him, and it’s imperative to re-sign the 25-year-old this offseason.
Kenny Moore II
The Colts’ secondary struggled in 2023. That was expected since the team played young cornerbacks like rookies Julius Brents and Jaylon Jones. The unit could get even younger if they draft someone like Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry. Indianapolis must retain its best cornerback: Kenny Moore II. The 28-year-old veteran would help out the young guys and teach them what it takes to be a top-notch defensive player.
Against the Carolina Panthers in Week 9 this season, Moore came away with two pick-sixes. He was named the AFC’s Defensive Player of the Week for his incredible performance.
Grover Stewart
Grover Stewart was suspended six games this season after violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Although that wasn’t positive news, it’s still in the Colts’ best interest to retain him. Stewart has teamed with DeForest Buckner to form one of the best defensive tackle duos in all of football. Buckner provides pass-rushing while Stewart serves as a great run-stopper. The Colts missed Stewart during his suspension, as he’s a key piece of their defense.
Gardner Minshew
Gardner Minshew recently earned his first Pro Bowl nod. He joins fellow Colts Quenton Nelson, Buckner, and Ryan Kelly. It was surprising to see Minshew receive the honor. While he had a respectable season replacing the injured quarterback Anthony Richardson, it wasn’t exactly a Pro Bowl type of year. Another team might allow Minshew to be a starter. However, the Colts need to keep him in case Richardson goes down with another season-ending injury. He doesn’t have Richardson’s ceiling, but 2023 proved that he can keep the ship afloat if need be.
Michael Pittman Jr.
Retaining Michael Pittman Jr. should be the Colts’ biggest offseason priority. While he isn’t a megastar receiver like Tyreek Hill or Justin Jefferson, he’s easily one of Indy’s most important players. CBS Sports named Pittman the Colts’ MVP for the 2023 campaign. The former USC Trojan was phenomenal this past season. He recorded 109 receptions and 1,152 receiving yards (both career highs) to go along with four touchdowns.
Re-signing Pittman may wind up being a bit pricey. However, the move would certainly be worth it.
Main Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck – USA Today Sports
