Chris Phillips
There are several several current NFL free agents that would fill a need for the Indianapolis Colts. Training camp is underway for the horseshoe.
The most surprising thing during the first day of practice was the return of linebacker Shaquille Leonard. The last few seasons saw him start camp on the PUP list but that is not the case this year. Now, this is not to say that he’s back to his old “maniac” ways but the reports are that he looked very good. This is a good first step in his return as he has a lot to prove this season.
Then of course after practice, Colts owner Jim Irsay fired off a poor and ill-timed tweet about running backs. It’s logical that he was speaking about all of the running backs and their devalued position and not specifically about Jonathan Taylor. But this didn’t stop Taylor’s agent from firing back. Hopefully, the two sides can get together and talk this out in private.
Regardless, there are some positions on this Colts’ roster that could use some refortification. Here are three current free agents that the team should sign before the season starts.
Related: Indianapolis Colts players with the most to prove in 2023
Zach Cunningham, linebacker
There are two position groups that the defense could use some help with. That is cornerback and linebacker. We’re going to focus on linebackers as there has been a lot said about the need for the team to bring in a veteran cornerback. Zach Cunningham is a former second-round pick of the Houston Texans in the 2017 NFL draft.
He’s a veteran of the AFC South having also played for Tennessee this past season. The Colts’ linebacker room looks to be in good shape with the starters of Zaire Franklin, E.J. Speed, and the aforementioned Leonard. However, we all know that a part of every NFL season is attrition. Injuries can happen to any player at any time, game or practice.
So, if one of the starters were to go down or Leonard isn’t able to hold up as a starter then the next man up would most likely be Genard Avery. Avery was drafted three rounds after Leonard was in the 2018 draft. The next linebacker with the most experience is special teamer, Grant Stuard.
This linebacker group, similar to the cornerback position, is very inexperienced. Bringing a veteran like Cunningham, who is only 28 years old, would add another experienced linebacker. He’s a fine player who is a pretty good tackler but struggles in pass defense. So he most likely wouldn’t be coming in and being an automatic starter but he would be a nice depth piece for this young team.
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Justin Pugh, guard
Another position that could use some help is the right offensive guard. For that matter, the entire Colts’ offensive line could use some better production. This unit ranked as one of the worst last season. GM Chris Ballard admitted this off-season that he made a mistake in relying on and expecting his starting offensive linemen, Quenton Nelson, Ryan Kelly, and Braden Smith to make the rest of the line better.
The two biggest weaknesses’ along the offensive line were the left tackle and right guard spots. Now, the left tackle appears to be locked down by former first-round pick Bernhard Raimann. But the right guard spot is still, somewhat, up for grabs. Will Fries ended last season as the starter there and is currently the projected starter.
The Colts didn’t draft an offensive guard but they did sign local kid Emil Ekiyor as an undrafted free agent. Ekiyor played guard in college at Alabama, where he was a three-year starter, and is thought to push Fries for the starting job. Now, considering he was a starter at a football powerhouse and was a projected fourth-round pick it’s surprising that he went undrafted.
But that is because at the NFL Combine a medical “red flag” was discovered. So, ideally, it would be smart for the Colts to bring a proven veteran right guard. Pugh is a 10-year veteran who has experience playing both guard and tackle.
This versatility would be useful for the team as well, just in case Raimann struggles or if the team wants to move Smith inside and have Pugh play outside. Pugh would also serve as another new veteran voice in the position group. And considering the Colts will at some point start rookie Anthony Richardson, having a veteran line to protect him would be very beneficial.
Taylor Lewan, offensive tackle
The Colts signing Taylor Lewan is most likely a long shot for a few reasons. First, he most likely still views himself as a starting NFL left tackle, even if his play and health are declining. Over the last three seasons, he’s only started double-digit games once.
Secondly, he also probably wants one more big payday. The previously mentioned Pugh will be 33 in August and Lewan just turned 32 years old. So both players could be looking at their next contract as possibly their last in the NFL and will want to get as much money as possible. Now, considering Lewan is a three-time Pro-Bowler, has some nastiness to him, and will protect his quarterback no matter what.
He could fit in well with Nelson while also, possibly, giving the rest of the linemen a reminder to always protect the most important position on the field. Again, getting Lewan wouldn’t be easy but considering the Colts have some cap space and he’s coming off injury maybe a one-year prove-it type of deal with a lot of incentives could be reached.
