Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - How Did Indianapolis Colts, AFC South Get Better In 2022 Free Agency | Offseason Mailbag

Episode Date: April 15, 2022

Evan Sidery goes over Indianapolis Colts offseason questions via Twitter. From Matt Ryan and Yannick Ngakoue to so much more, all the bases are covered for Indy in this episode.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnlineBetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts!Rock AutoAmazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you.Shady RaysEXCLUSIVELY FOR OUR LISTENERS, HEAD TO SHADYRAYS.COM AND USE CODE LOCKEDON TO GET FIFTY PERCENT OFF TWO OR MORE PAIRS OF POLARIZED SUNGLASSES. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are Locked On Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello everyone and welcome to your latest episode of Locked on Colts. I am your host Evan Sidery here. You can follow me on Twitter at eSidery. Worthy today to go over your mailbag. I appreciate you guys submitting your questions last week. We're going to be going over all those questions today in a shorter episode as I'll be flying solo today. But as we get closer and closer to the draft, all these questions are being answered. So I appreciate all those who interact with us on Twitter for our mailbag.

So let's go ahead and dive into that just to get right into the point here because we have some interesting questions that we have all throughout the show today via Twitter. So I appreciate, again, all those questions today. But our first question is all related to the draft. It could be at free agency. It could be trades. Anything you want to talk about here. And I appreciate the Locked on Colts audience for chiming in here.

Our first question is from Anke Evan at ANQ EVAN. He says, AFC South made free agent moves and coaching changes. Compensation aside, what free agent is the best fit for each team? Example, Woods to help Tannehill in Tennessee. Which coaching hire do you like? How did each team get better? What did they lose? How did these new starters line up against our starters?

So that's a really good question. And it's one that I think based off the Colts' moves so far, their two only moves really in the offseason are two trades, getting Matt Ryan from Atlanta for the third-round pick and then also acquiring Yonkin Gokwe by swapping out Rakia Sin. I think those two moves they think are enough to put them on the same tier or even better than the Tennessee Titans, which I think is a a risky gamble this Colts team still has a lot of needs but when you look at the Titans roster like Robert Woods they have A.J. Brown, Derrick Henry, Ryan Tannehill

an okay offensive line a top 10 defense at points they're a legitimately really good team down in Tennessee I don't think the Colts have done enough yet to be on the same level as the Titans. I think they still need to make a couple big moves here in the draft, or at least make a couple free agent moves that really move the needle a little bit, because I think they're both in the same tier, the Colts and the Titans. But in the end, I do still believe the Titans are a little bit better than the Colts. I think the Colts still have a couple things to work on, especially for weapons for Matt Ryan. He needs a new tight end. He needs some new wide receivers. The Colts need to add some more defensive backs as well. This Colts team is far from done from adding pieces, and I think until we know the answer for sure, I'm not going to put them above the Titans just yet, but if they

do have a strong draft and a strong final wave of free agency with a couple depth signings, I think the question is fair there to put the Colts above the Titans, but for now, I will keep them with Tennessee. And the next question here, same one from Ank Evan. Didn't the Colts add a player that doesn't meet his character standard through free-in-seater draft after he hired three former Colts with Reggie Wayne, Mike Mitchell, and Kato June? How do you like adding these Colts as coaches? Well, first off, for the second part of your question, Ank Evan,

I love the addition of the Colts coaches. It's very interesting, one that we haven't seen really much around the NFL, to be quite honest. A lot of former players with no coaching experience getting NFL assistant jobs. But Reggie Wayne for wide receiver would really help out a young room wide out. Mike Mitchell, as we saw during his Colts tenure about four or five years ago, very much a veteran leader in that locker room, well-respected. And Kato June, the same thing. He was on the college level the last couple of years, takes the lead to the NFL.

I think he'll be a good fit, especially for Darius Leonard, to mold and help him become a better player. So I think it's an intriguing angle the Colts have taken with the Colts' decisions on the coaching staff. But in the meantime, I do believe those are good hires. Raymond remains to be seen, of course. But in the end, I do believe I like those hires. But as far as the character stuff, it's interesting. As Chris Ballard mentioned in the first episode

of What the Next Pick, that the Colts obviously love traits. We've known that throughout Chris Ballard's tenure with the draft. They love freaky athletes. They love traits. They love high RAS scores. They love high character players, team captains, all those things mixed into one. That's what Chris Ballard loves in a draft prospect. But I think there's a real chance because the Colts know urgency is on the table. This is a two-year window to really go for it. If you don't really make much to improve the next two years, I think there will be eventually wholesale changes for the Colts organization.

So the pressure is on here. They need to hit these picks, and they don't have a first-round pick this year. So there's really a lot of pressure here on pick 42, pick 73, pick 122. I think those first three picks need to be impact players for the Colts immediately. And that's just a lot of pressure that Chris Bauer and the scouting staff put on themselves there. But I do believe as far as Chris Bauer's comment, as far as wanting traits and wanting to take risks, I think that's very much on the table there for this year, where if a guy is on

their board, he's a freaky athlete, but he had maybe an off-the-field concern. I think that they will take the risk at this point, because they know urgency is on the table from ownership and owner Jim Irsay. So I do believe that the Colts might take a risk in the draft. And for those who know Chris Ballard, look at the RAS scores above nine. Look at the spider webs of mogdraftable.com. All those are Chris Ballard

staples as far as what the Colts go for high everything in the athletic category. So if you're not in tune with Chris Ballard's philosophy, that's definitely the way to go there. BetOnline is your number one source for all your betting needs and sports info. Find out the latest sports developments including this week's Master Championships, odds,

podcasts, and reviews for all the different leagues this season. BetOnline is your continued source for every sporting and wagering information, including live betting, esports, and scores. Head to the website today or use your mobile device right now to learn more about the trends in action. BetOnline, where the game starts. Next question here from Ron Schaefer. What did we not see in Chris Reed that kept us from bringing him back?

We need offensive line depth. Quentin Nelson has become an injury liability. Ryan Kelly has been an injury liability his whole career. Matt Pryor and Danny Pinter have never been a starter. And Braden Smith had injury problems. We have no depth. I appreciate the question. We haven't covered it on the show yet.

Chris Reed going from the Indianapolis Colts to the Minnesota Vikings. Signed on a one-year deal, I believe, with Minnesota. He'll probably be a plug-and-play starter at right guard for them. Obviously, the Colts love Danny Pinter. That's why they did this. They've been obsessed with Pinter since he arrived a couple years ago. Not playing center. He has played center the last couple years.

He's played at guard as well and spot snaps. Very versatile, very athletic. He fits the mold, who I think could be a huge leap guy next year. I think he has probable upside, to be quite honest, with Danny Penner. I think he's a perfect fit in this run-blocking scheme opposite Quinn Nelson at left guard. I think Penter has the real upside here of making us not remember Chris Reid that much, and that's a very high praise for Danny Penter, but I'm very much in, like the Colts are on his upside. I mean, he's just a freaky athlete for his size. He can move. He's a great pass blocker. We've seen throughout his career so far. He hasn't really

had one bad start in his NFL career with the Colts. So I think he's bound to blossom next year. I think it takes a huge leap forward for the Colts next year for Danny Penner. But as far as the depth goes, a serious question at left tackle, Matt Pryor, is the current starter, but I think they do eventually draft a left tackle, whether it be in the second, third, or fourth round. I think one of those has to be a left tackle, whether it be like a Matt Waletzko from North Dakota or an Abraham Lucas earlier in the draft from Washington State. One of those guys needs to be a Colt.

You put him behind Matt Pryor for a year, and then they take over. I think that makes too much sense to me. And then expect them to draft an interior offensive lineman on day three of the draft, whether it be a guard center type that can play both. Like Cam Juergens out in Nebraska, I think makes a lot of sense in the fourth or fifth round. He's a guy to watch out for, in my opinion. I think the Colts will double dip that offensive line in the draft. That's not a surprise with Chris Ballard, but

expect in the draft a left tackle in the second to fourth round, and then probably an interior offensive lineman in the fifth or sixth round. I think that makes too much sense there. Will Fry is there internally high on, so I don't blame them there, but they definitely need to add a lot more depth, and I expect them to double dip in the draft here.

So definitely some serious depth concerns right now for the Colts off its line, but I think they address it in the meantime in the draft with two draft picks. Next up here is from Luke Westermoland. Are the Colts blaming missing the playoffs in person whence one should be blaming Matt Iberflues? Too many times Colts had to lead and change defensive strategies, allowing the other team to adjust and come back, like the Baltimore Ravens game. Very valid point there, Luke. I think, though, in the end, just the way Carson Wentz played the last two months of the season,

it was very apparent that they had to move on. And kudos to Jim Ursae, kudos to Chris Ballard for writing that wrong and really giving up a first-round pick in this year's draft. It's tough to swallow number 16 overall. It could have been a number one wide receiver to pair with Michael Pittman or a future quarterback so to say but getting out of the way they did getting a future second round pick getting Washington to take on that entire contract getting Matt Ryan back in the process for a cheaper price absolutely masterful job Chris Ballard did there and I think in the end it just goes to show

how good of a GM Chris Ballard is but I think Ibraflues did what he could with this scheme. I know Colts fans are tired of it at the end. But consistently a top 10 defense. Consistently a high turnover rate. I think he's going to do good in Chicago. I think the Colts fans will miss Ibraflues a little bit. I think Gus Bradley, though, with this defense, should have a lot of upside. But I think Carson Wentz was definitely the person to blame here.

And I'm glad the Colts moved on because he was a below average quarterback for the last eight weeks of the season. He single-handedly cost the Colts, I think, their season against the Raiders and the Jaguars their last two games. So I'm in the camp. It's definitely Carson Wentz over Ibrahim Fluss. I think it's Carson Wentz over anyone else. And the way the Colts ended up out of it,

getting rid of Carson Wentz and getting Matt Ryan and also Yonatan Gakwe for a cherry on top, that's a great offseason so far for the Colts. They still have to address the draft heavily and free agency. But in the meantime, I love what the Colts did here. I'm definitely not in the camp of Eder Fluss being the one to blame, and by and more so in the camp of Carson Wentz. Next up here on the board, we have Theo Zacker, and he has a question.

What's your take on the kicker battle this season, and do you see the Colts adding a kicker in the draft or undrafted free agent? That's a good question because we actually just talked about it in the episode last night for our LiveMock Draft 2.0 here on the show. If you haven't had the chance to, go ahead and listen to it. Me and Steven Reed went into drafting a kicker in the seventh round, Cameron Dicker, the kicker out of Texas. I think it's an intriguing angle.

They haven't re-signed Michael Badgley yet. Maybe they don't want to bring him back, and maybe instead they're focused on the draft and drafting a kicker or signing an undrafted free agent to go head-to-head with Rodrigo Blankenship, who has a year left under his contract. Obviously, the Colts are not fans of Rodrigo right now because they had him on IR when he was healthy for the last six weeks of the season. So that goes to show you just how lack of trust they have in Blankenship anymore. But with Michael Badgley still unsigned, I think it's a legit question to ask.

And until Badgley or another kicker is signed by the Colts, I think that could be on the table. We saw Evan McPherson with the Cincinnati Bengals put together a historic playoff run as a rookie. These young kickers nowadays have monster legs. So I think it's something that the Colts should seriously have on the table in the seventh round. If you've addressed all your needs, if you've traded back and you added more picks, why not take a dartboard throw here at a kicker in this year's draft and get a really good one? I think that could really make a lot of sense for this Colts team long-term to find the long-term answer after Adam Benatary.

So I love the idea of a kicker in the seventh round or as an undrafted free agent to bring more competition. And I don't know if the Colts have their long-term answer, a kicker just yet. And I think addressing it somehow in this draft does actually make a lot of sense. Next up here from Elijah King, what's the ceiling predicted record if we find a way to get Jarvis Landry and Tyron Matthew as there have been reported interest? Maybe if we add Trey McBride in the draft too.

So the ceiling and predicted record that Elijah is asking, let's say hypothetically the Colts signed Jarvis Landry, they signed Tyron Matthew. The Colts have $22 million in cap space right now. It's probably closer to $20 million after they signed Armani Watts, the depth safety from the Kansas City Chiefs. So they'll have to do some restructuring

or sign Quentin Nelson to extension. They'll free up $10 more million, but if they restructure DeForest Buckner, they'll freeze up $10 million. I think that's a really realistic way to go about it to get Landry and Matthew in here. I think it makes a lot of sense, especially Tyron Matthew.

I still am in the idea that Matthew in this Colts defense takes them to a completely new level, number one overall, in my opinion. So I love that idea. Jarvis Landry I could warm up to as a number two receiver, but I think you need more explosiveness opposite Michael Pittman. But under Elijah's scenario, they sign both here, and they add Trey McBride at the Mackey Award-winning tight end from Colorado State with the 42nd pick.

I think you're in a really good spot, especially offensively. You have Jarvis Landry, Michael Pittman, Paris Campbell, maybe T.Y. Hilton comes back. I doubt that at that point, though. But you have some young guys there. You draft one, too. You add Trey McBride at tight end with Kyle and Granson and Mo Alley-Cox. You have the offensive line. I think this Colts team could be really good, and you add Tyron Matthew on top of that to probably make the number one defense in the NFL. I think that Colts team probably at least wins at least 11 or 12 games. I mean, they're probably one of the best teams in the AFC, because Jonathan Taylor, don't forget how special he is either. We haven't talked about him on the

show just yet, but what a special talent Jonathan Taylor is. So I think in the end, I think we see this team go on a run if they do add those weapons that you're mentioning, Elijah Jarvis, Landry, Tyron Matthew, and drafting Trey McBride. Next up here from numbedtoad, add toad underscore num. In what ways do you see the Colts utilizing Naheem Hines going forward? Can Frank Reich scheme more touches for Hines without taking Jonathan Taylor out of the game? We saw last year a lot the Colts running 21 personnel with Hines and Taylor on the field and having a lot of success with that. I think they're going to do it a lot more next year.

I think that was a realization by Frank Reich to use it a lot more, and it makes a lot of sense. I mean, you saw explosive Hines and Taylor are, especially when they're on the field together. I think you can play Hines more in the slot this year. That's what Chris Bauer mentioned at the NFL owners meeting. So I love that idea. I think in the end they will use Naheem Hines more.

It's been the consensus all throughout the Colts organization over the last couple weeks is that Carson Wentz severely underutilized Naheem Hines when he didn't have to. Matt Ryan's going to be the polar opposite here. So I love a big Naheem Hines season. I think we're going to see a lot of 21 personnel with Taylor and Hines on the field. But either way, I expect Naheem Hines to have a very big season for the Colts. Next up from Derek Hutton. Should the Colts go wide out with the first two picks of

really talented players fall further than expected? Like a David Bell, he says. David Bell, I'm very much on the fence about just because he's such a poor athlete, but he is a good fit. If you want Jarvis Landry, I think you'd be very much a fan of David Bell. They're both savvy route runners. They're not athletes at all. They just get open with their routes. I think that could make sense if you want David Bell in the third or fourth round, but I probably wouldn't take David Bell until day three, to be honest, just because of the athletic scores. But I think it makes a lot of sense. I mentioned it before that the Colts double dipping a wide receiver really does make a lot of sense at 42 and 73, for example. You get a Christian Watson or a George Pickens at 42,

and you get a Calvin Austin at 73. That's how you revamp your wide receiver room overnight and take it from a weakness to a huge strength, in my opinion. I know relying on rookies is tough in year one, but in 2023, 2024, and beyond that, your trio is set long-term. If you add two more weapons early in the draft, and I think that's what this Colts team needs to do. They need to add a lot of weapons from Matt Ryan.

You need to raise the ceiling. If you want to go for Super Bowls and win right now, which Matt Ryan wants to do, you need to add more weapons. So I'm of the idea, if the Colts go all-in on weapons in Matt Ryan, you need to raise the ceiling. If you want to go for Super Bowls and win right now, which Matt Ryan wants to do, you need to add more weapons. So I'm of the idea, if the Colts go all in on weapons in this draft, I think it's a huge get for them to do that. So I love that idea. And honestly, I've been in the camp for a while. They go for like a Christian Watson and Calvin Austin at 42 and 73. I would not be shocked by that at all. Next up here on the questions is from Road760. George Pickens, Sky Moore, and Christian Watson somehow are all still available at 42. Who are you taking and why?

And that's a really good question, to be quite honest, because these are the three guys I've thought the most realistic could be on the board for the Indianapolis Colts when we get to their pick at 42. Sky Moore's stock is exploding to the late first, same with Christian Watson. George Pickens is picking up buzz as well. Same with Christian Watson. George Pickett is picking up buzz as well. Jahan Dotson, someone to watch out for as well because Morocco Brown, the Colts director of college scouting, was at Penn State's pro day watching Jahan Dotson. So if Dotson slips and these guys move up ahead of Dotson, I think he's their guy at 42 to be quite honest. But if it's these guys on the board, if Dotson goes earlier than 42, which I assume happens

in this scenario with Sky Moore on the board still. I would go in the direction of Christian Watson. I'm in the camp that he's very raw still, but I do think Christian Watson has elite upside in this Colts offense. He's a super hyped-up version of Zach Paschal who can run a 4-3, and he's 6'4", he's 210 pounds, great run blocker, explosive receiver down the field. He's going to eventually win on all three levels.

I think it makes too much sense. George Pickens would be my second choice there, and then Sky Moore. I think you go for the explosive athletes to get opposite of Michael Pittman Jr. in this offense, and definitely Christian Watson checks that box. George Pickens would definitely be a safer option, too. That I would definitely be a fan of. Sky Moore is a great route runner, and is explosive within the first 10 yards of the line at skirmish. So any of these guys would be cool, but I think if I had to rate them, it would be

Christian Watson, and then it would be George Pickens, and then Sky Moore. So last question here, I appreciate all these questions today for the show and looking through all of these. And our last one is from Hank Evan. He's asked a couple questions so far, so I appreciate him sending in these questions for us. And he's asking about the draft value as far as the Colts, like as far as trading back. What would make sense in a tradeback scenario for the Indianapolis Colts at 42? And this is something I've been hypothesizing. You've heard it on the show multiple times.

You've heard it with Steven Reed as well during our live Colts mock drafts. If you can get a future second-round pick or a third-round pick in next year's draft, or if you move back and get an extra day two pick and an extra day three pick from 42, and the board tells you there's not a lot of difference between 42 and 52, I think it makes a lot of sense to move back and collect maybe a third round pick or a future pick. I think the Colts, we know they love doing that. Chris Bauer loves it. He let it slip during the next pick series, episode one, that they're going to add more picks.

So expect them to trade back at least once in this year's draft, maybe more than that to be quite honest. So I think the Colts for sure trade back here. I could easily see them moving back from 42. And if it's not at 42 to take the best wide receiver available or BPA, they definitely trade back at 73. I think one of their first two picks will be a trade down, whether it be 42 or 73. We don't know just yet, but I think in the end we will see a trade down from the Colts.

And that's a for sure thing. with Chris Ballard at this point. He's going to trade down, he's going to draft reiki athletes, and he's more often not going to hit the draft, and that's the pressure the Colts put on themselves this year. But I appreciate everyone listening, and as always, to the podcast, make sure you rate, review, and subscribe, and in the end we'll be back for another episode.