Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - Realistic Free Agents that Fit the Indianapolis Colts this Offseason

Episode Date: February 20, 2024

The Indianapolis Colts have some money to play with this offseason in free agency. Will they lure a big fish to play alongside Anthony Richardson, or can Chris Ballard find some value deals like he ha...s in years past?Find and follow Locked On Colts on your favorite podcast platforms:🎧 https://link.chtbl.com/LOColts?sid=YouTube📺YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLdpxJspi1hMh5HL7ExpWOQLocked On NFL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Draft & More🎧 https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNFLFollow Jake and Zach's written work on HorseshoeHuddle.com, and give them a follow on Twitter @JakeArthurNFL, @ZachHicks2, @LockedOnColts, and @ColtsOnFN!Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Make Every Moment More. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – if your bet wins! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!eBay MotorsFor parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit at eBayMotos.com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply.NissanOur friends at Nissan have a lineup of SUV’s with the capabilities to take your adventure to the next level. Take the Nissan Rogue, Nissan Pathfinder, or Nissan Armada and go find your next big adventure. Shop NissanUSA.com.BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Make your brain your friend, with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDON today to get 10% off your first month.GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase.FanDuelGet buckets with your first bet on FanDuel, America’s Number One Sportsbook. Right now, NEW customers get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS with any winning FIVE DOLLAR BET! That’s A HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS – if your bet wins! Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Could we see the Indianapolis Colts be aggressive for the first time in free agency in the Chris Ballard era? Let's get to it. You are Locked On Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast. Part of the Locked On Podcast your first lesson of the day. This is your daily podcast covering your Indianapolis Colts, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Make every moment more.
Starting point is 00:00:46 Right now, new customers get $150 back in bonus bets with a winning of $5 bet. That's $150 if your bet wins. Visit FanDuel.com slash LockedOn to get started. Hello, everyone. I am Zach Hicks from HorseshoeHuddle.com and your favorite co-host here on the Locked On Colts podcast. Today, we are talking free agency. Look, I know that free agency hasn't been a massive part of the Chris Ballard era here in Indianapolis, but I do think you guys go a little too hard on him when it comes to that Bargain Ben Ballard moniker that you guys have given him.
Starting point is 00:01:22 Now, I'm not going to lie. The Bargain bin Ballard is a great alliteration. You guys did a great job with that. It's fantastic. And honestly, I catch myself saying it sometimes too, because it really is a great nickname. But I don't think it's completely fair to call Chris Ballard that. He does spend on free agents. He has spent on guys like Justin Houston, Eric Fisher, Stephon Gilmore. You know, when that opportunity is there, he has gone out there for a bigger fish in free agency. So today we're going to go through some realistic targets at some core positions for this Colts team and see which guys make sense for the Indianapolis Colts.
Starting point is 00:02:05 Now, again, this is not going to be a list with all the top free agents in the entire league and saying, OK, you know, go sign Mike Evans, go sign LeJarrius Sneed and all these guys. But it is going to have a list of a couple guys that are realistic, a couple guys that are more bigger swings that we have seen Chris Fowler do in the past, and some guys that can really help the Colts get this roster ready to compete next year in 2024 with Anthony Richardson coming back at quarterback. So first position we have up today is the most important position for the Colts in free agency and just in the offseason in general, and that is cornerback. The Indianapolis Colts did not have a great season last year from their cornerbacks outside of Kenny Moore II. Young players, Daryl Baker Jr., Jalen Jones, kind of struggled.
Starting point is 00:02:42 They were a little up and down throughout the year. And then rookie Juju Brents just couldn't stay healthy all season long. So I do think we see the Colts add a veteran to that room, a guy who, you know, can play on the outside, play some good snaps out there. So they don't have to rely on the guys like Darryl Baker Jr. as much. They don't have to rely on even a Jalen Jones as much as a starter next season, regardless of what happens with, you know, Juju Brents and Kenny Moore's impending free agency. So one name I do have written down here who I think is kind of the most obvious name in
Starting point is 00:03:13 free agency for the Indianapolis Colts is Michael Davis. Michael Davis is a big outside corner, 6'2", who is coming from the Los Angeles Chargers. He's hitting free agency this year, coming off an $8 million contract, actually $8 million per year contract, was getting some pretty good money because he had some pretty good play there in LA for a little bit. He had a career-high three interceptions in 2020 to go along with 14 pass breakups. That's when he got his extension. And I think what's interesting about Michael Davis is he had overlap
Starting point is 00:03:42 with a lot of this Colts defensive staff when they were all out there with the Chargers. So Gus Bradley was obviously the defensive coordinator for the Chargers for four seasons from 2017 to 2020. Michael Davis arrived with the Chargers in 2017 and spent those four seasons under Gus Bradley and Ron Milas, the defensive backs coach for the Colts. Milas was obviously there with the Chargers as well. So yeah, there's a lot of overlap there with Michael Davis and Gus Bradley. That was when he had his best career seasons. And since Gus Bradley departed from the Chargers, that's when Michael Davis's career has kind of gone downhill and hasn't been as great. So Davis kind of seems like
Starting point is 00:04:19 a guy where the Colts could just give him kind of a smaller deal, maybe that Brandon Faison type deal of like one year, three and a half million dollars a year. And then you can get him in here and just get more reliable play and get a player that has worked in Gus Bradley's system in the past. I think that's a good option for the Colts just to improve the depth that quarter and also just get a player who's ready to play on the outside. So again, you're not relying on Daryl Baker Jr. You're not relying on Jalen Jones as much next season.
Starting point is 00:04:45 Another player who I think makes some sense, and it's another player who's coming off a struggling season in 2023, but I do think he makes a little bit of sense for the Colts, is Christian Fulton from the Tennessee Titans. Again, rough season last year was not his best year by any means, but former second-round pick, really good player in previous seasons, had some really good moments with Tennessee. 2021, he had two interceptions and 14 pass breakups.
Starting point is 00:05:11 I think there is some good things to like in his film. Now, he is the guy who gave the long catch to Alec Pierce in overtime, or I think he gave up a couple catches earlier in the game. I think that was actually Sean Murphy bunting in overtime. But Christian Fulton did not have the greatest game against the Colts this year. And I do know that Chris Ballard, you know, values those type of those type of things when he's looking at free agents. But, you know, Fulton's a guy who, again, a former higher picked, had some good moments in his past. Health has kind of been a concern the last couple of years, but he's a player that, again, you can
Starting point is 00:05:40 buy low on and just see what he's got. Get him in here, be some solid depth, be a veteran. And if it doesn't work out, then you can move on and go to your next options there. I don't think he's a top tier option for the Colts, but I do think he's a guy who does make sense for what the Colts are looking for at cornerback. So those are two players right there who are kind of on the lower end of the contract spectrum when it comes to adding a cornerback, a veteran cornerback in free agency. Let's go up a little bit here, like just up another tier with a Keller Witherspoon from the Los Angeles Rams. Keller Witherspoon is a guy that I have loved for years, and I really have loved his fit or his potential fit, excuse me,
Starting point is 00:06:16 with Gus Bradley's overall defense. Big, long corner, former receiver going into college, former soccer player, I believe, as well going into college. So he's kind of got that good footwork and quickness and stuff that you really like to see. Kind of had like a revival last year with the Rams. Three interceptions, 14 pass breakups with the Rams last year. Really, really good overall season being that starting outside corner. The only really bad part about his game is he wears the number 44.
Starting point is 00:06:45 I have no clue where that number 44 came in with Akella Witherspoon last year with the Rams, but a really impressive player last year. I'm glad that he was able to refine his footing. And I do think, you know, I've always kind of thought this about Akella Witherspoon. I always thought he could be a great fit with what Gus Bradley does because he's just more of that zone drop, big, lengthy type of guy who can just get into passing windows and get some pass breakups. So if the Rams do let him walk, which I don't know that they are
Starting point is 00:07:12 after such a good year that he just had, I do think he's a great fit for this Colts defense just to give them an upgrade at outside starting corner. And then the biggest name I have down here for the Colts in free agency at cornerback when it comes to the veteran market is Chidabe Awuzie from Cincinnati Bengals. Again, another player who's not coming off this amazing season last year, didn't have any interceptions or any turnovers last year, but he has had two interceptions in 25 past breakups in three years with the Bengals, played a little bit on the inside, played a little bit on the outside, can kind of do it all. Six foot, 200 pounds, really solid, stocky corner who tackles and plays with a physical edge. I've always been a big fan of Chittabay Woosier since his days at Colorado, and I do think he's a good fit for, again, that tenacity, that physicality that the Colts like out of their
Starting point is 00:07:58 cornerback room. When you look at the Colts' corners last year, outside of Juju Brents and Kenny Moore, specifically looking at Jalen Jones and Daryl Baker Jr., they were not the best tackling cornerback room. They were not the most physical cornerback room. So adding a guy like Chidabe Awuzie, even if it costs you, you know, six, seven, $8 million a year, you're getting more of that physical edge back at your starting cornerback room, which you really need in this defense, which you really need just in the NFL nowadays in general. So I think Chidabe Awuzie is a good, nice, realistic fit for the Colts in free and see, and, and it just makes sense. You know, a lot of teams are going to be going after the LeJarius Sneeds and the Jalen
Starting point is 00:08:34 Jones, if he hits, you know, Kendall Fuller, those are some guys who I do think a lot of teams are going to be going after. And that's when a Chris Ballard type comes in with a nice little one or two year deal for Chidabe Awuzie and gets a good player under contract when other people are kind of neglecting him. So those are some corners I think fit the Indianapolis Colts in free agency. I think Chittabay Awuzie, that was my favorite in that bunch, but let me know in the comment section what you think. Again, I don't think that that corner they need to go all out and get some super superstar corner. It would be great to get a superstar corner, but just getting a veteran presence in there that kind of understands what they're doing and can bring back some physicality on the outside. I think that would be a big step
Starting point is 00:09:13 up for this Colts defensive back room. But coming up, we're going to talk about the wide receiver position and a big name wide receiver who might be released that makes a ton of sense for the Indianapolis Colts. But first, get buckets with your first bet on FanDuel, America's number one sportsbook, because right now new customers get $150 back in bonus bets with any winning of a $5 bet. That's $150 if your bet wins. Bet on all your favorite NBA players and teams with quick bets, live same-game parlays, exclusive props, and more. All you Indiana Pacers fans, I know that the All-Star Break festivities are coming to a close. We are getting into the next part of the season,
Starting point is 00:09:54 which is the final stretch to the playoffs. If you guys want to bet on your Indiana Pacers, there's no better place to do it than at Fanduel.com. So, again, visit Fanduel.com slash LockedOn and shoot your shot. Fanduel, official sportsbook partner of the nba all righty colts fans we are back continuing our conversation about realistic free agents that fit the indianapolis colts this offseason and we're going to go with one of the biggest names on my entire list uh in this in this uh whole thing i'm going through today and that is veteran wide
Starting point is 00:10:26 receiver Mike Williams. Now, I know some of you guys are listening and saying, hey, Zach, Mike Williams is technically not a free agent. Well, you are correct. As of right now, Mike Williams is not a free agent. Maybe when you listen to this, he might be because, look, the Chargers are about $35 million in the red right now. They need to make a lot of moves to get back into positive cap space prior to the start of the offseason. And the easiest move for them to make is releasing veteran wide receiver Mike Williams. Mike Williams is due, I think, $35 million in cap space this year for the Chargers. And I think they would save around $20 to $25 million if they do release him. So look, they could swing a trade, maybe a team like the Colts
Starting point is 00:11:05 or someone else swings a late round pick to take that contract from them. But I think the most realistic option for Mike Williams and the Chargers is to see him released here soon. And look, Williams is a player who, yes, he might not be a superstar receiver or top tier receiver, but he's a darn good wide receiver too in this league. Massive wide receiver, former top 10 pick who's had some really good years, 2000 yard seasons under his belt. Good rapport with Colts head coach Shane Steichen. Shane Steichen was offensive coordinator for two years in LA and he had 20.4 yards per catch in 2019 with Steichen as that offensive coordinator. And I believe that was before they even got Justin Herbert. So, I mean, even before Herbert was there, Mike Williams was producing with Shane Steichen as
Starting point is 00:11:48 the play caller. So I do think that there is some good rapport there between the two. I mean, if you go back and watch some old Chargers YouTube videos, when Steichen was the offensive coordinator there, there's one video out there where he's talking highly about Tyrod Taylor being their potential starter and how they like to isolate Mike Williams on the backside and throw some jump balls and get him involved in that jump ball vertical game down the field. So I think it makes a lot of sense as just a really good reunion there for the Colts and or for Steichen and for Williams here in Indy. You know, get that big, that big time ball winner on the outside here in Indy. The Colts can push more vertically, get Anthony Richardson more in that vertical game with Mike Williams.
Starting point is 00:12:26 And then also you can get a player who's dealt with injuries, who is coming off another ACL injury this past season. He can go back to a coach that he has some familiarity with that will get him the ball. So I do think that's a great fit for both player and team.
Starting point is 00:12:40 And I would love to see the Colts get him in here on a one-year deal if slash when he's released by the Los Angeles Chargers. A little bit of a lesser name here, but a player who I think is going to be, you know, look, this next guy I'm going to mention, he's not an all-around wide receiver by any means, but he is a player who's had some success in his past with Shane Steichen, and that is Quez Watkins, 25-year-old wide receiver from the Philadelphia Eagles. And the big thing with him is speed, speed, speed, super fast player, not the greatest hands, not the greatest ball winner, but he has that speed. And that's what we love here. We have Anthony Richardson coming back. He's going to throw the
Starting point is 00:13:13 ball down the field. He's got that speed. He needs that speed to get, he needs that speed with his receivers down the field. And look, Quez Watkins, when Shane Steichen was the offensive coordinator there in Philly, had over a thousand total yards receiving in the two years there. And that was with him being that third option or that third receiver alongside A.J. Brown and Devontae Smith. So when Steichen came over here to Indy, Quez Watkins saw his production just completely dip last year. It fell way short of his averages the two prior years he was basically phased out of that offense in general and that's even with the top you know that whole offense kind of struggling in general so maybe quez walk-ins is like mike williams where he sees opportunity to reunite with a coach who got him the ball in the past
Starting point is 00:13:58 and he can be a valuable piece of this colts offense you know unlike mike williams you know mike williams comes in and he would be a starter. Mike Williams would be one of your starters on the outside, your ball winner, your isolation receiver that you're going to throw the ball up to. Quez Watkins could be your wide receiver four. He could be, you know, your occasional speedster that you throw in there just to stretch the defense. And maybe you can get Alec Pierce on some more underneath routes. You can get, you know, more space for Josh Downs and more space for Michael Pittman Jr. So I think Quez Watkins makes a ton of sense for the Colts. I don't think the Philadelphia Eagles are going to re-sign him. So yeah, that's another player who I think makes a
Starting point is 00:14:33 lot of sense for Indian. I know he's not this big flashy signing because again, not the greatest hands, not the best receiver overall, but he brings that speed element that the Colts want. And look, Chris Ballard mentioned wanting to get more dynamic on offense and wanting to have more explosive plays. Well, look, Quez Watkins is one of those guys who would add more explosive plays to the offense. One more receiver that I want to mention here before I list off a couple others at the end
Starting point is 00:14:57 is another player who just adds that explosive element to your offense, and that is Darnell Mooney. Now, Darnell Mooney had a bit of a down year this past year, just kind of got phased out a little bit with DJ Moore coming into the offense there when in Chicago, but man, Darnell Mooney, his, his early years there in Chicago, he had some great, great moments. He had over a thousand yards, I believe his second year in the NFL. And he's a guy who the Colts really liked, you know, coming out of Tulane a couple years ago, the Colts really did like him. And he's another just explosive downfield option. I know the Bears didn't really use him that way last year, but early in his career, he was a guy
Starting point is 00:15:33 who could win vertically, who could get deep, who had great ball tracking, outstanding speed. So, you know, he's going to cost more than a Quez Watkins on the open market. He's going to have a lot of teams interested. You know, I think the Chiefs are going to be really interested in him. But I do think Darnell Mooney makes a lot of sense from, again, the standpoint that Chris Ballard said, we want to get more explosive in offense. We want to add more dynamic ability to the offense. And I think Darnell Mooney makes a lot of sense for a Colts team who,
Starting point is 00:15:58 again, a couple years ago, they really liked him. They really liked him on day three. They didn't ultimately make that pick, but they did like him there on day three. Some other depth options, though, that I think makes sense for the Indianapolis Colts are veteran wide receiver Noah Brown from the Houston Texans. More of a veteran journeyman type guy, but had a great year last year. Great after the catch. Great vertical game.
Starting point is 00:16:21 Great creating yards just down the field in general. They want more of a special team or blocker type guy, Nick Westbrook Akine from the Tennessee Titans. Please don't start him like the Titans have been doing, but if you're going to have him as a wide receiver four, wide receiver five, I think that's a good role for him. And then veteran wide receiver Chris Conley, if you guys are watching that Super Bowl a couple weeks ago, was making a lot of plays on special teams, a couple catches in the passing game as well. Former Chris Ballard draft pick when he was with the Kansas City Chiefs,
Starting point is 00:16:49 really highly athletic player who can play some special teams. I do think he makes a lot of sense as a wide receiver five, wide receiver six type in Indy if they want to go that route with more of a bottom of the roster guy. But it's interesting when you look at this Colts wide receiver course because they don't just need a wide receiver opposite Michael Pittman Jr. They also need depth. They only had three wide receivers really play many snaps all last year.
Starting point is 00:17:10 I mean, Isaiah McKenzie and DJ Montgomery had a couple of snaps here and there, but most of their passing game came down to three wide receivers the entire year. So they got to add depth, maybe add someone at the top of the roster too. So when you're looking at, you know, veteran ads for this Colts team, you add someone at the top of the roster too. So when you're looking at veteran ads for this Colts team, you can look at a starter like Mike Williams, but you could also look at more depth type guys like Quez Watkins and like Noah Brown. A lot of ways you could attack this wide receiver position for the Indianapolis Colts. But coming up, we're going to talk about one more position and a couple free agents that I think are realistic targets for the Colts, and that is
Starting point is 00:17:43 safety. Whether they bring back Julian Blackman or they let him walk, I do think that there is an opportunity for the Colts to get much better at the safety position in 2024. But first, buying tickets to your favorite events shouldn't be stressful. Game time is the fast and easy way to buy tickets for all your sports, music, comedy, and theater near you. With killer deals on last-minute tickets and their best price guarantee, you can stop stressing over the tickets and start getting hyped for all the fun that you'll ever have. I personally love GameTime because I feel like being spontaneous or going to a show on a whim, I can go right to them and not have to browse a bunch of different places.
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Starting point is 00:18:41 Snag the tickets without stress with game time. Download the game time app, create an account and use code locked on NFL for $20 off your first purchase terms apply again, create an account and redeem code locked on NFL for $20 off download game time today. Last minute tickets, lowest price guaranteed. All right, you guys, we are back. We're talking one more position here in free and see that we are, you know, again, we're looking at realistic options for the Indianapolis Colts. And I think this last position we're going to talk about, which is safety, whether it's free safety or strong safety, either one.
Starting point is 00:19:14 I think this is the area where the Colts can really attack and get much better on defense because just on paper, this is a fantastic safety class in free agency. I think when it comes to looking at the overall class in general, I do think that safety is the strongest position just in general free agency this year. Fantastic, fantastic depth from top to bottom. You have star players that might hit. You have really good rotational players, really good starters. I really do think for a team like the Colts,
Starting point is 00:19:43 you just did not get good enough safety play whatsoever last year. They really could use one or two or three of these guys that are hitting because it's a lot of talent. It's a lot of talent. We're going to talk about quite a few names here that just make a ton of sense for the Indianapolis Colts. And let's start with a guy who had his contract voided a couple of days ago, and that's veteran Jordan Whitehead. Jordan Whitehead started his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, went to the New York Jets the last two years here. Very versatile player, can play strong, can play free safety, did a lot of good things in his NFL career up to this point. Has 11 career interceptions. He's coming off four last year, which was his career high. And I think a really big thing to watch with him is, you know, I think of all the
Starting point is 00:20:25 teams in the NFL, the two defenses along around the league that play the most similar style to what the Colts do are the Jets and the Cowboys. Now the Cowboys do a little bit more man with their defense, but it's very similar with their single high type stuff. And the Jets, they do a lot of similar things with their front, with their front seven, and also on the back end as well. A lot of cover three with mixed in quarters here and there. So Jordan Whitehead would be coming from a scheme that's very similar to the Colts. Again, brings that versatility to play either safety spot, really good ball skills. I think that's just the type of player the Colts need there in the secondary and could be a great asset for a young team with a lot of young players.
Starting point is 00:21:02 Another veteran player and a player who's around 30 years old, Jaron Curse, Jaron Curse, another scheme fit. Again, I just mentioned the Cowboys there going from Dan Quinn to Gus Bradley, a lot of single high type stuff. And you know, Curse is more of your traditional strong safety type guy, but he's a really, really good run defender. He's great around the box.
Starting point is 00:21:20 He's really reliable, durable player. He's not, you know, he's not some superstar player the Colts would be bringing in, but J-Ron Curse would be an upgrade just for their overall safety room and getting more of that veteran presence who can kind of do a little bit more in the box and in the run game than what the Colts have had out of their safety position in the last couple of years. So I really like J-Ron Curse as a fit here for Indy. Another one that I, you know, we've all been kind of loving for the last couple of years,
Starting point is 00:21:44 and I really hope he ends up here in Indy. I think this would be a fantastic ad and kind of a buy low candidate. And that's Jeremy Chin. Jeremy Chin, Carolina Panthers safety. You know, he kind of regressed after a star studded start to his NFL career, did some really great things early on. But the Panthers got a little tricky with it. They played him a little bit too much at linebacker, a little bit too much free safety at times. So he just kind of lost his role here
Starting point is 00:22:09 in the NFL. But this is another guy where if you're looking at what Chris Ballard likes, he loves the superstar athletes. I mean, this is a super, super athlete. I think he has a 10.0 at the combine a couple of years back with the RAS the RAS, RAS score, RAS score, however you say that score there. So he, you know, he has the measurables. He has the production early on in his career. He's very versatile. He can play linebacker. He can play free. He can play strong. You can move them all over the place. He's got the range. He's got the physicality. I really think there's a lot to love here with Jeremy Chin.
Starting point is 00:22:41 And on top of all that, he's got the Indy ties. I mean, I think he's from Fishers, Indiana, you know, and maybe get him back home, get him back to a comfortable environment. He can get back to being what he was early in his career, but I love the fit of Jeremy Chin here in Indy. I think he can do a lot of the things that Gus Bradley wants to do for, with his safeties from blitzing, from dropping into the box, from disguising coverages, from rolling deep. If he has to, I think if you had, you know, gun to my head, if I had to say which player in free agency I really want the Colts to sign the most, I think it's Jeremy Chin. I just think it makes so much sense for this Colts team. But look, I got so many other safeties here, guys, that I would be happy with the Colts
Starting point is 00:23:18 pursuing in some manner for the team. We got Cam Curl from Washington, fantastic playmaker who did some great things over the last couple of years with them. The other Jet safety, Ashton Davis, did a lot of really good things these last couple of years. Brandon Jones from Miami Dolphins, PJ Locke, a really underrated veteran safety from the Denver Broncos. Xavier McKinney, if you want to spend big from the New York Giants, did a lot of great things. And Darnell Savage from the Green Bay Packers, who kind of had career you know, career revitalization this last year after being a former first-round pick that took a while to really catch his stride. Safety is really a position where the Colts really have to attack.
Starting point is 00:23:54 And I really do think that this is where we're going to see Chris Ballard get creative and grab somebody that is a pretty quality player. I mean, look, I'm not ruling out a Julian Blackman, you know, reunion, Julian Blackman coming back to Indy and free agency this year, but this is just where the Colts need to attack free agency. And this is where we've seen Chris Ballard spend in the past, maybe not necessarily at safety, but he typically spends on the defensive side of the ball. You know, we don't really see him give out giant contracts and free agency to running backs or receivers or anything like that, but we have seen him pay on defense.
Starting point is 00:24:25 The Justin Houston contract, the Nico Autry contract, the Samson Aboukam contract, the Stephon Gilmore contract, the Xavier Rhodes contract. We have seen bigger contracts on defense from Chris Ballard in his tenure. And it's typically at positions of need, positions where they need an extra body and they need a veteran body in here. And I think safety is where you go this year. Again, I don't think a Jeremy Chin is going to cost nearly as much as any of those contracts I just mentioned, but he would be a big upgrade and just a big addition to this defense. But some of these other guys, I mean, if they wanted to go
Starting point is 00:24:58 bigger and spend bigger, you know, again, a guy like Cam Curl or Xavier McKinney, those are guys who are going to cost a little bit more, but they would be great, great additions to this Colts defense. And there's even more guys that I didn't mention here. I mean, Gino Stone might be a free agency, Kyle Duggar, if he hits, if he hits free agency, I mean, those are some guys that would also be great here in Indy. So look, if you guys take anything away from this episode and from all the names I'm listing in today's episode, the Colts got to go out there and grab a veteran safety because this, this raging class is stacked with safeties and a lot of guys that make a ton of sense for this Colts defense. But I think that's
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