Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - PERFECTION: Indianapolis Colts' Roadmap to SMASH Offseason

Starting point is 00:00:01 Welcome to Locked-on Colts as Jake and I are going to give you the perfect roadmap to this off-season for the Indianapolis Colts. Let's get to it. You are Locked-on Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to Locked-on Colts, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. Now, the number one sports podcast network around. Hello, everyone. My name is Zach Hicks, your resident Philner, a horseshoe huddle.com, and I'm just a julyon. joined as always by Jake Arthur, our boots on the ground over at Roundtable Sports.

Starting point is 00:00:41 Apparently from my tweeting the other day, Jake, you were really boots on the ground this past season in that cornerback room. I'm glad people understood that joke. I put it out there. But guys, we have done individual episodes diving into, you know, trade candidates, potential free agents in-house and outside of the house to target and just so many different aspects of this Colts off-season. So now, even though this is still January, there's still a lot of off-season left.

Starting point is 00:01:06 in front of us. Jake and I are going to give you our early roadmap on how we would attack this this offseason for the Colts. We're going to go over some of the assets that the Colts have and how they can gain even more assets through trades or freeing up cap space through cuts and releases and extensions. Then we are going to pivot and talk about the free agency approach, how Jake and I would each like to approach this free agency period with, again, as of right now, pretty limited cap space, but again, the Colts can open some up. And then our targets in the draft. Now, this is not going to be a complete list on, you know, in detail scouting reports on 500 players or anything like that, but more so the type of players that we would like to see the Colts go after

Starting point is 00:01:46 in the draft and where we'd like to see the focus be come draft time for this Colts team. So, Jake, let's start off with an overview of the assets. We have had so much different information when it comes to how much cap space the Colts have. Over the cap at one point, had them at $40-something million projected. As of right now, it says 26. $9 million in cap space. Who knows right now? So somewhere between $25 and $40 million in cap space as of right now.

Starting point is 00:02:16 That's not a ton of money when you consider the fact that Daniel Jones is probably going to eat up almost all of that with his contract. And then you have to have the Alec Pierce contract on top of that with $25 million as well. So Jake, the Colts got to find ways to make cap space this all season because they just don't have enough for all the things they need to do as of right now. Yeah, and if they really do have this urgency in the building to get better, then they have no choice but to look at some of these big veteran contracts that maybe we're appealing a year or two ago. But at this point, they look like opportunities to cut bait and create more cap space. It's not a ton of guys you can't really live without. We've talked a million times about Michael Pittman Jr., which to this point makes me feel like nothing at all will happen with him. and he'll be a $29 million cap that next year.

Starting point is 00:03:06 Look, I will say this. If that's the case, then this Colts team is not serious about winning next year. Exactly. That's just what it is. We're going to find out a lot about how serious Chris Ballard in the front office really is this all season because they cannot get around it. We've got some cap figures here of how much they'll save in the ballpark, how much they save. So again, this doesn't mean straight up cut, but like trades are possibility,

Starting point is 00:03:30 extensions are a possibility. we've seen them rework the deals of like Braden Smith, Kenny Moore, extend DeForest Buckner to create more room. But Michael Pittman Jr., when you take away his cap hit and his dead cap, $24 million savings, only $1.9 million for Mooney Ward. That's just something up for them to do. That's not something you necessarily set out to do. But if he retires, then there's, it gets kind of interesting about what,

Starting point is 00:04:01 the team will pick up and what they won't. I will say with Mooney Ward, if he does retire, you can designate it as a post-June 1st retirement and split the cap over the next two seasons. So they would save $10 million over this season, but they would accrue $10 more million over next season. So that's a way you can push it to the future to have more freedom for this offseason. Again, some people might disagree because we think we might be in a rebuild after this off season, but still, that's one way to free up more cap space for this year.

Starting point is 00:04:28 So there are some ways they can play with Mooney Ward's money if he does retirement. hire. But as of right now, yeah, him retiring. And if they don't touch that contract, they don't really get

Starting point is 00:04:37 much savings whatsoever. Yeah, that one's a real small figure. Grover Stewart, 12.2 million. Penny Moore, 7 million. Zaire Franklin,

Starting point is 00:04:45 5.8 million. And a real interesting one is Anthony Richardson because he's still on his first round rookie deal, which is always fully guaranteed. It is a $10.8 million

Starting point is 00:04:56 cap hit for next year. But if you trade him, there are things you can agree with with the other team of how you're going to kind of split the pie. Why don't you go ahead and kind of explain the way those two sides. Try and hammer that out. Yeah, I think the best way that I think about this and I could be wrong, listeners can definitely call me out if I'm wrong here. But I believe the roster bonus will be picked up by the other squad,

Starting point is 00:05:20 which would be around $4 to $5 million. So the Colts would still be on the hook for the guaranteed salary, but I believe the roster bonus would be on the new team acquiring Anthony Richardson. if the Colts were to trade him this offseason. So that's a way they can still free of about half of that guaranteed money. I believe that's the max is what they could get back for that. But I'm going to leave full cap analysis to Kyle Raposa and all the other, what's his name, Brad Spielberger, who used to work for pro football focus.

Starting point is 00:05:49 Those are the guys I usually rely on when it comes to cap analysis. But I believe that's how it would work with the rookie deal trade right there. Yeah. So it can get complicated with a couple of these. But those are the ones I look at. and they feel the most likely to not go into the season the same as they are projected right now. So you look at draft picks as well. Right now, after compensatory picks are added after the combine and around the league meeting at the end of March,

Starting point is 00:06:17 Colts are looking about seven picks, two, three, four, five, six, and two sevenths. They did trade away. Their original sixth from Mackay Blackman last summer. And then so they'll add a seventh in comp, and then they'll add a seventh in comp, and then they'll get that sixth in comp. So they still won't have the first, but they're projected at that 47th overall pick. So they do still have a pick in the top 50.

Starting point is 00:06:39 And then really, the only way I see them adding picks is by taking some of those aforementioned players and seeing if you can get a day three pick out of them. I don't know that you get anything more than a day three pick for any of those guys, unfortunately. You're looking at around four at best, I would say. Yeah. So, Jake, we've done a lot of speculation on all this,

Starting point is 00:06:59 this off season. So let's let's give our firm thoughts as of right now when it comes to the off season. Again, this could change with more information coming and all that throughout the off season. But best ways to open up cap space, and I'm just going to give my opinion and then you can agree, disagree, or add on to it. First one, the best way to open up cap space is extending Quentin Nelson. I think we're both in agreement there. You can free up anywhere between seven to $20 million, depending on how you structure that contract. Now, if you want to open up like $20 million, you can push that cap hit crazy into the back end of the deal, which might not be the smartest thing. But the Colts can open up a lot of cap space with Quentin Nelson extension.

Starting point is 00:07:37 But the biggest one I think that could be open up open for debate is, again, there's $24 million available for the taking for cap space on Michael Pittman Jr's contract. I am of the opinion of trading him this off season. I wouldn't extend. I wouldn't restructure because then you're just pushing it down the line. and I would just try to go more a committee approach to replace his production in the offense. But Jake, what, what say you? Would you, like, say your best offer on the board

Starting point is 00:08:04 was a fifth round pick from, like, Buffalo or Vegas for him? Would you take that fifth round pick or would you try to extend Pittman and keep him around? I do think a fifth is too low because, like, it is a receiver that can get you 80 and a thousand. You know what I mean? But Amari Cooper, remember, got a fifth round pick coming from Dallas to.

Starting point is 00:08:26 That's right. That's crazy. Because remember, you're not trading for play or you're trading for contract. You're trading for a $24 million cap hit over one season. Yeah. And you know you have to unload that. Yeah. Like you can't, yes, I hate it because like he's better than a fifth round pick.

Starting point is 00:08:42 Right. But yeah, I guess so because you can't go into this year with like two zillion dollar receivers. This is not Jamar Chase and T. Higgins with Alec Pierce and Michael Pittman Jr. And you have to bring back Alec Pierce. You just do. You know you're bringing back Daniel Jones. Pierce has become your best receiver, your most dangerous playmaker. Because, I mean, that's even over Jonathan Taylor, who we saw in the second half of the year faded.

Starting point is 00:09:10 It's not all his issue, but like he's dependent on that offensive line, obviously. Alec Pierce made plays regardless of the circumstance. So, yeah. Yeah, I don't think you could bring back Alec Pierce north of 20 million. in per year, which he's certainly going to do, and have Pitman making what he's making. So I guess I'd take a fifth. That hurts, but yeah. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:09:32 And then as of right now, I think we're both an agreement of trading Richardson as well, which would probably net you like a fifth or a sixth as well. So where we're at currently with our projection, we're running out of time in the first segment. So I'm going to get this all in is around nine draft picks, no Pittman, no Richardson, and Nelson extended. And we freed up, you know, upwards of $40-something million in cap space. When it comes to the rest of the contracts that you put on here, I wouldn't touch Grover's. I wouldn't touch Kenney's.

Starting point is 00:09:59 And I would cut Zaire Franklin to get another 5.8 back. Do you agree or disagree with that? I'm in lockstep with you there. Would not touch Grover or Kenny especially. Yeah. Kenny is just hard to touch right now because of the restructure they did midseason. Yeah. It's really hard to do that one.

Starting point is 00:10:14 Grover, too good a player. I'm perfectly fine with what he's making. So roughly with our roadmap that we're giving right here, we freed up around 50 more million dollars in cap space, got two more draft picks back from Richardson and Pittman, and extended Quentin Nelson and then cut Zaire Franklin. I think that's just more for the morale of all the fans right now listening. But coming up, guys, we're going to talk about our free agency approach now that

Starting point is 00:10:37 in our hypothetical here, the Colts are working with close to $80 million in cap space. And what can they do with that? And who in-house should they prioritize and who on the open market should the Colts prioritize to make this team better? All right, kicking off the ear feeling good is always the goal, right? You know, everyone tries to make their New Year's resolutions, and it's usually health-based. Honestly, hydration seems to be the easiest one. A lot of people just simply say they want to drink more water or just be hydrated in general.

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Starting point is 00:13:38 And thank you for making Locked on the number one sports podcast network. If you haven't already, go check out the new Everydayer Clubs. You can catch our audio ad free and get an invite to members only Locked on Everyday or Club Discord server, which includes a group chat, just for listeners of our shows, Jake and I have been in there a lot the last couple days, actually talked with a lot of the everydayers.

Starting point is 00:13:58 So definitely check that out at Lockdowncultz.com to join or even gift a subscription. Now, Jake, we're getting into our roadmap for the offseason. We talked about ways to free up cap space, contracts we potentially touch ways to get the draft picks from seven up to around nine or so for this Colts team. Now we have to look at free agency, which is the next step in the offseason program. and let's start with re-sign over guys that we would let walk. Resign the two big ones are obviously Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce. Of the 80-something million dollars that we had in space,

Starting point is 00:14:31 these guys could potentially take up 65 million of that. Now there are ways to mess with those contracts. You know, with Jones, you could lower the year one cap hit and have a lot of signing bonus to just bring that first year cap number down. Now that would make years two and three a lot more expensive, but again, if you're trying to win in 2026, that's a move you make. You can do the same thing with Alec Pierce. If you give him a three to four year contract, you can lower the year one cap hit like they did

Starting point is 00:14:59 with Michael Pittman Jr.'s contract, which is why he has a $29 million cap hit this season and why he's on the move potentially. So there are ways to make that cap hit anywhere between 30 to 60 million instead of definitely going to be 60-something million. But Daniel Jones and Alec Pierce are the top priorities for the Colts. Chris Ballard said as much. in his end of season presser. And I don't expect either of those guys to go anywhere.

Starting point is 00:15:23 But what do you think, Jake? I think that's going to be the first thing the Colts get done. Yeah, that's the only two guys I see where it's like you can't go into the season, not having them locked up. Number one, if you somehow find a way to fumble Jones, you go into the next season with your pants down because you don't have a quarterback, a quarterback who it's really in the off season, but you're already putting all your chips on the best.

Starting point is 00:15:44 Well, Tom Brady, Riley Leonard is still on the roster, you know, so they settle down. Settled back. Real quick, though, Shane Gregory in our comments here says, you think they would franchise tag Alec Pierce. I think it could come down to that if they can't agree to it. So I could certainly see that being an option for the Colts. But I do think both those guys will be back.

Starting point is 00:16:02 You also have Neville Gallimore on the re-sign list. Moe L. O'I. Cox, I would actually put on the re-sign list as well, even though you have them on the considered list, but it's not like a deal breaker for me, bringing back Mo or not. Like, I'd prefer to have them back, but it's whatever. And then I think guys like,

Starting point is 00:16:18 Nick Cross, and even Braden Smith to a degree, just depending on what his market is, those are kind of guys you consider bringing back. But again, if we're talking kind of limited cap space, they want to get younger and faster on defense at all three levels, you want to have space for outside free agents. And I don't know if Nick Cross making $15 million a year is a way to do that. Or Braden Smith making $15 to $20 million per year. So gun to my head, I would say, get Daniel Jones, get Alec Pierce back, you know, give a total of $5 million a year to Gallimore and Allie Cox combined to bring them back.

Starting point is 00:16:52 But everyone else, Jake, I'm kind of okay with letting them walk. Yeah, this is just one where I know Chris Ballard and the Colts prioritize their own guys a lot. Even last year when they said they were going to let a lot of guys walk, I would even, I'd take it a step further this offseason. And again, it's you have to have the money to pay other guys, serious players. You know who all these guys are. Like Nick Cross is probably the only one who is like still an ascending player, you could say. But it's kind of the argument with receiver.

Starting point is 00:17:26 You know, Cam Bynum is already a safety on your roster making big money. You can't match that money with another safety. That doesn't make sense. No team in the NFL does that unless you're like the lions with two all pro level safeties. You know what I mean? You just can't do that. So Cross, as much as I really like him and I like to reward the. draft and develop slow burn things.

Starting point is 00:17:51 If it's, if it's like 15 million, you just can't do it. Like, you never know what the safety market's going to be because some years it's terrible. In some years, you know,

Starting point is 00:17:59 uh, what's his name? We've, we talked around a lot, but last year, what was it, like 17 million? Trayvon,

Starting point is 00:18:06 who got like 15. And yeah. There's no reason that. Yeah, Holland and the giants got like 17 million. And then Xavier McKinney got like 18. Bynum got like. So it just depends.

Starting point is 00:18:17 on where he because like Andre Cisco, a young safety who hit the market last off season, only got like $4 million from the jets. Right. So it's weird. But if they view him like Morrig, which crosses only 24 years old, I think they're going to view him better like that. Yeah. I think it's going to be like $15 million he gets per year.

Starting point is 00:18:33 And I just, I can't go that high for him. It's too much. It's in the same way you didn't want to lose Will Fries or even Diwa Dengbo, but you just get priced out at some point. So let's go over some outside guys that you might consider going after. I've got kind of a laundry list here. The ones I'm most serious about, I guess, Jalen Watts in the corner from the chiefs. Because the Mooney Ward stuff, just I'm worried about it.

Starting point is 00:18:59 Like the guy already said that if he gets another concussion, he's probably going to retire. So even if he makes it into the season with you, every time he takes a big hit, you're going to be kind of holding your breath. So him or Jamel Dean, I would be big on bringing another corner in there. a Lowy Gilman or Andre Sisko, who you just mentioned to replace Nick Cross, if Cross does leave. And then obviously, edge rushers, there's some subtle guys in there. Adafi O'A, Jalen Phillips. Phillips isn't really subtle, but he's going to make a big payday.

Starting point is 00:19:34 And then an officer, a veteran offensive lineman with at least a handful of starts and some position flexibility. Jamari Sawyer from like, I think the Chargers is a good example. I still have to dig in on some other guys. You want a Chargers offensive linemen coming in here, Jake? You want a Chargers? I don't want him starting. I want him to have starting experience is the thing. I actually love Jamari Saul here coming out.

Starting point is 00:19:59 But I think I comped him to Matt Pryor, so maybe I don't love him. Maybe I don't. But I do agree with you. I think the only place that you and I would disagree here is I don't want to spend big at corner. Like I'm fine with getting an outside corner in here. I think Watson and Dean are going to cost a good chunk of money this off season. Especially Watson.

Starting point is 00:20:19 He's still fairly young. He's won Super Bowls, big, lengthy corner. I think he's going to get like 10 to 15 plus per year. And I just, I don't want to pay that much when you have Wally coming back. And you still have already, I mean, you're still paying the Mooney Award contract. You're paying a lot of money at corner this offseason. So I'm cool with like whatever Christian Fulton got from the chiefs last year, right? Like a one year, like $2 million deal corner.

Starting point is 00:20:43 You know, just to get more veteran experience in here. But I'm with you when it comes to they have to make a splash at edge. You know, there has to be a move at edge. Maybe you don't go as high as Jalen Phillips because the guy with multiple leg injuries and giving him $20 plus million per year. I don't want to touch that. He's got into Kelly's. He's perfect.

Starting point is 00:21:00 Yeah. Trey Hendrickson, who is probably going to get like $30 million per year on the open market, and he's 31, and he barely played this past year. But getting an Arnoa Ebekeed for like 10 to 15, getting Odafay Owe for 10 to 15, I'd be all for those type of moves for the Colts. I think those are the type of guys that they need on this defense. So if we're giving like our perfect roadmap here, like go get me an Epiciti or an O way.

Starting point is 00:21:23 This is in my opinion here. Take a shot on a linebacker like a Nacobo Dene type. I know he's had injuries, but you know, good player when he's played. And then just round out the bottom of the roster with your Neville Gallimore level signings. I think that's how I would approach for it.

Starting point is 00:21:37 So get younger or get faster, get some impressive players from outside. But don't break the bank for like a Trey Hendrickson. I just don't need more guys on IR making big cap hits this next season. That's fair. Yeah, go get me an Ebikidi. Go get me an O'Dafi Oway. Get me some, you know, even like a Cisco, I think it could be a fine player, you know, at safety.

Starting point is 00:21:56 I'd prefer those types than like a Hendrickson or, I mean, Jalen Phillips I wouldn't hate, but like, I'm scared of the leg injury. You guys know me with Achilles injuries. It's just my brand at this point. It's almost as big a brand as my kicker hatred. I am finding that like I think they need to spend in free agency but I am a little picky as well like it's not like a terrific free agency here and our guy Shane Gregory here actually he did say don't forget if you lose Michael Pittman they need a receiver I'm not going in free agency for I'm never signing a free agent receiver I will never sign a free agency or no thanks you can always

Starting point is 00:22:31 find one in the draft there's a thousand of them every single draft just go I mean I'm not saying you can find guy to replace 800 yards but find a guy who can split time with Doolin and Downs to get you that production and the aggregate. I think you can do there. Right, right. But coming up, guys, we're going to talk a little bit about the draft. Now again, Jake and I are not full draft nicks right now, so we don't know every single player in this upcoming draft.

Starting point is 00:22:54 We're going to talk about the types of players we're looking for. And I am still a bit of a draft nerd. I do have a handful of players that I'm capable of talking about here in just a second. Fandul is officially in playoff mode. Every game day during the NFL playoffs, Fandul is giving customers even more ways to get in on the action. Because right now, every NFL playoff game day, Fandul users get a profit boost pack waiting for them inside the app.

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Starting point is 00:25:11 everyday airs, we are back talking about our perfect roadmap to the offseason. So to summarize kind of where we're at so far, beginning of the show, we talked about ways to create more cap space and also bring in a couple more draft picks this off season, and we didn't go full Madden

Starting point is 00:25:25 where it's like trade Jonathan Taylor and Quint and Quint Nelson and get all the top five picks in the draft. We were trying to be realistic with it. So moving a contract like Pitman's for a day three pick, moving Anthony Richardson for a day three pick, and then making a couple tough cuts here and there to open up some cap space, bring back Alec Pierce, bring back Daniel Jones,

Starting point is 00:25:44 target a high profile edge rusher in free agency along with some minor signings. Now we're looking at the draft, and Jake, outside of maybe a receiver in like the middle rounds and maybe potentially bolstering the offensive line depth, I think you and I are in full agreement that this is going to be a defensive heavy draft for the Colts. They want to get younger, they want to get faster, and they need impact players on that side of the ball.

Starting point is 00:26:07 Before I give the floor to you on some of the guys that you put on here and some guys that you want to talk about at least briefly, I think for me, I want the focus this draft season more so on guys who can produce and be productive players in year one. You know, we've seen a lot with Chris Ballard taking these project players and taking younger players that have not really produced early. They haven't produced until the end of the rookie contracts. I more so want guys who are ready to go right now.

Starting point is 00:26:32 So like some of my favorite players, like the lead. hunters in this draft, the, you know, Gangelio Ponds, if he's even there at 47. Like that guy's ready to go now, even though he's smaller. Josiah Trotter, I think, is ready to go right now. Those are the type of guys I want to target this draft, not this three to four year project player, even though I love project players because when they hit, they hit like an Alec Pierce, but like the Colts need production in 2026. That doesn't mean go get a 30-year-old pass rusher in the draft.

Starting point is 00:26:59 There are a couple like that, but it does mean get a player that's more ready to go right now and produce for your team in year one. Without question. And Chris Ballard has mentioned before there's always kind of an internal struggle between the coaching staff and the front and like the personnel team where personnel is always looking like long term. Like sure, this guy could help quickly, but like what's he look like in two, three years, whereas the coaching staff wants immediate help.

Starting point is 00:27:27 And if you're looking at the defensive side of the ball, especially with a coordinator like Lou Anorumo, you're going to do. what he says you have to like you need these guys on the field so you need lou to handpick these guys his favorites have to be top of your draft board or at least be a big part of it like be hand in hand with it you know it can't just be i like this type of corner and lose like no i like this type of corner then you give him your type and he's like i'm not playing that guy he doesn't fit you know it has to be in hand yeah you find yourself having to just like you're in a hole and you have to fix it and that's how you get zavian howard and so like that obviously cannot happen

Starting point is 00:28:03 So we're both, you know, of the thinking that the front seven is just paramount here. So, you know, guys who were explosive with still adequate size, it's not deal breaker size that I think could really work here. Cassius Howl from Texas A&M, R Mason Thomas from Oklahoma, Zion Young from Missouri. And then you've got, you know, Ake Mesidor, a nice little national championship darling from Monday night. out of there from Miami. Yeah, you need explosive fast pass rushers that you're looking for that can contribute right away. And those are some guys who I think at least his designated pass rushers, you could get them on the field quickly.

Starting point is 00:28:46 Yeah. Now, do we want Chris Ballard to add to his graveyard of pass rushers, though, is the real question. Because it seems like whatever he touches to, what's the saying, like everything you touch turns the goal, whatever he touches, rots at edge rusher. Like, whatever, it can be the greatest player ever. but whatever he touches at edge rusher, it kind of rots. So when it comes to like pick 47, for instance, and you want a right now impact player,

Starting point is 00:29:08 I'm looking at linebacker. Linebacker is really where I want that impact player. A player like C.J. Allen, you have on here, Josiah Trotter already mentioned as a player I really like out of Missouri, just a fast, instinctive linebacker that fits kind of what the Colts need at the middle of the field. That's more so where I want to go early. If they can get, if a guy like Messador is there at 47,

Starting point is 00:29:29 I think you turn that card in. Even though he's older than Nick Cross, he's a very good player. You know, get him in here. Yeah, who cares at that point? He can produce in day one for you. But unless that happens, I don't need another project off the edge that Ballard's going to be wrong with. Like, get me a linebacker that can turn and run and cover the middle of the field. Like, we saw the impact of middle the field linebackers for some of these best defenses in football this year.

Starting point is 00:29:52 Get me a guy like that. And I think this Colts defense can be in a much better place next season. Yeah, the middle of the field for the, the Colts defense last year, they were clearly helpless at times. Offices knew where to attack, and you just have to be prepared for that now. So C.J. Allen out of Georgia, obviously, Anthony Hill Jr. from Texas. Jake Golda from Cincinnati, Jacob Rodriguez from Texas Tech. He's got kind of a cult following.

Starting point is 00:30:17 Then Josiah Trotter, like you mentioned, these are guys that can go sideline to sideline, and they're not going to be victims over the middle of the field. if they have to turn and burn and like chase guys on end-breaking routes, I think they can handle that. You know what I mean? It's it's something the Colts clearly struggled at with their 28 to 30-year-old slower linebackers last year. And you just can't have that.

Starting point is 00:30:42 I think the Colts got a real big dose of medicine last year where they downplayed the necessity for their linebacker group to be as good. And as a result, they saw that it was a real debt. So, like, they can't just pass it off as like a low priority. Like it can become a strength if you just allow it to be and put some resources into it. Yeah. And then one more thing is like obviously if there's a chance to get more corners for sure because of what the depth was really tested last year. But for me, I want another playmaking corner or playmaking safety back there on that defense.

Starting point is 00:31:18 Nick Cross, a good thumper, a good box safety. And if you bring him back, I still want to draft another playmaking safety. because Rodney Thomas when he was out there this past year wasn't bad, but he's not making a play on the football. He's not instinctfully, like, you know, jumping a route or anything like that. He's just kind of going to be in the right spot, and that's kind of the end of the day. I want another playmaker on this defense. And one guy that I really like is Genesis Smith from Arizona.

Starting point is 00:31:41 I can play over the top, force a lot of fumbles this past year as well. Just a guy who gets his hand on the football and takes the football away. And I think pairing a player like that with Cameron Bynum to make it less, you know, who's going to be the deep safety, who's going to be the middle of the field, like the robber or the guy who comes in the box, just add a little element to that disguise. I think a player like Genesis Smith can make a lot of sense. And even if you do bring back Nick Cross for like a one or two year deal, Genesis Smith can make a lot of sense as that third safety, which was a big role this past season

Starting point is 00:32:12 with Rodney Thomas. So I want another playmaker on this defense. I think the best way to do that is with the safety. You look down at like Houston, for instance, and, you know, Kaelin Bullock and Jalen Petrie were so great at just being instinctive players that took away the football or knocked the ball away from opposing players. And just the asset that it is with having two safeties that can do that stuff, it makes a world a difference for your team. So getting a player like Genesis Smith from Arizona, I think, is a really good pairing with Cameron Bynum. It allows

Starting point is 00:32:41 Bynum to be more of an all-around safety than just a deep safety. And you can open up his playmaking more in the middle of the field as well. So just add playmakers, man. DeAngelo Pons, we talked about so much last night. I didn't want to give too much. But like, if you can get a DeAngelo Pons, like that's a playmaker. I don't care where you're putting him. He's a playmaker. Get him on the football field. Like, give me guys who can take the football away and make plays on the ball. And we can worry about position value after that. Yeah, no doubt about it. And we talked about in the free agency portion, if you're not going to, if you don't feel like you can spend really a corner very much, obviously you want to draft someone.

Starting point is 00:33:15 A guy like Brandon Cese from South Carolina, I think would be a good one. We mentioned Pons, obviously don't care about the size. The dude is a magnet for the ball. But then if we're talking about safety, one thing I think I know about Lou Aniromo now is if he can get a safety out there that can wear a lot of different hats and allows you versatility.

Starting point is 00:33:36 And we mentioned this with Tyler Warren last year. You can just keep the guy on the field and you don't have to make a bunch of substitutions because the more you can do, the more value it brings. And so Emmanuel McNeill Warren from Toledo and Dylan Tiananman from Orrin from Oregon, a couple of guys who you could move around a little bit, and they're well-rounded.

Starting point is 00:33:55 They're decent coverage. They can make plays, like you mentioned, but they're also not necessarily going to shy away from contact, and they can come up and be physical in the box as well. So I think this draft, from what we've seen, this early in the process, like the Senior Bowl is still next week, it's kind of strong in what the Colts need on defense if they just lean into what we know they need. Yeah, I could be mistaken here. I think McNeil Warren from Toledo is like a freaky, freaky athlete type player. And I want the Colts to have their Nick Amin Worry type player.

Starting point is 00:34:30 I'm so jealous of what the C-Loy has. Because Emmen Worry, he actually hit last year. We kind of questioned whether or not he would hit, and he did. But just a player that you can line up in the box, so you can line up at deep safe, you can put him in the slot. Like, just a freak athlete who just makes plays on the football. Like McNeil Warren, I need to do more watching of him. But from everything I've heard, he kind of fits the mold I'm looking for as well.

Starting point is 00:34:52 So that's a good shout there, Jake. But that's what we have for today, guys. That's our long-form roadmap for the Colts off-season. We'll be more specific in the future as we learn more about this free agent class and learn more about this draft. But as of right now, there's some cuts and trades to make to open up some cap space early, target a big name edge rusher in free agency. And then in the draft, speed, speed, and playmaking on defense. That's the way that Jake and I would attack this Colts off-season. But let us know in the comment section below what you think.

Starting point is 00:35:22 And thanks again for tuning in today to Locked on Colts. We'll be back again tomorrow afternoon. So make sure that you subscribe and follow Locked on Colts so you get all the latest episodes. If you don't already, make sure you're following at Lockedon Colts at Jake Arthur and Othel and at at Zach Hicks to all on socials. And if you never miss an episode, the Everyday Air Club is built for you. Get Locked on Colts. Add free plus members only Discord access and much more. Head to Lockdowncoltz.

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