The Indianapolis Colts, along with the rest of the NFL, will begin the legal tampering period Monday, which is the next step before free agency officially arrives.
Even though the Colts already re-signed defensive end Tyquan Lewis, the Colts still have a large portion of players set to hit the market. As of this writing, Lewis is the only relatively-notable name to be re-signed.
Here, we take a look at ranking the Colts’ pending free agents by importance going into the 2023 offseason:
15
OT Matt Pryor
No thanks.
14
DT Byron Cowart
Cowart didn’t make much of an impact as a rotational piece along the defensive line in 2022.
13
EDGE Ben Banogu
Banogu hasn’t recorded a sack since his rookie season so we shouldn’t expect a return with the Colts.
12
S Armani Watts
Watts missed the entire season after suffering an injury during the preseason so maybe the Colts run it back again on a veteran minimum deal, but there are probably better options in free agency.
11
OT Dennis Kelly
It’s difficult to see these two sides coming back for a contract together.
10
P Matt Haack
Haack had his moments but with Rigoberto Sanchez likely to return in 2023, there’s no real need for the Colts to re-sign the former.
9
CB Tony Brown
Brown is fine as a fringe roster player, but it’s unlikely he’s going to be high on the priority list for the Colts.
8
CB Brandon Facyson
If he’s brought back as depth, that’s fine. But Facyson shouldn’t be re-signed as a starter.
7
WR Ashton Dulin
Dulin is a solid WR4/5 type who is an ace on special teams as a gunner. The Colts should try to bring him back at a reasonable price.
6
LB E.J. Speed
Speed has a better chance of returning than Bobby Okereke considering his likely cheaper price. He also is a special teams ace.
5
K Chase McLauglin
McLaughlin had an exceptional season for the Colts and while they don’t want to overpay for a kicker, he deserves a contract.
4
S Rodney McLeod
McLeod may want to retire or play for a contender, but the Colts should try to bring him back if they can.
3
DE Yannick Ngakoue
Nagkoue may be too expensive for the Colts to bring back. He was a solid in his one season even if his numbers inflate his actual value as a pass rusher.
2
LB Bobby Okereke
The Colts should want to re-sign Okereke, but his market may be too rich for them considering the money they already have invested in the linebacker position.
1
WR Parris Campbell
Campbell should be the top priority in free agency. The need matches up with what should be a serviceable market. He had a career year and could be even better with a stable rookie quarterback.
