Let's talk Free Agency

[BCoop]

There has been a lot of discussion already on different prospects for this year, but I haven't seen much in regards to who may be available in FA. I thought I remembered some mentioning we would have a considerable amount of cap room this offseason. Some of that will go to extending current players of course. But, will we have enough to sign difference makers as well? A few good options will be out there according to sportrac. I realize some of these guys may have gotten extensions and the site hasn't been updated. Just hoping to get conservation kicked off here.

 

Trumaine Johnson (26yo) - CB

Stephon Gilmore (26yo) - CB 

Dont'a Hightower (26yo) - ILB 

Nick Perry (26yo) - OLB

Melvin Ingram (27yo) - OLB

Chandler Jones (26yo) - OLB

Courtney Upshaw (26yo) - OLB

Nick Fairley (28yo) - DT

Dontari Poe (26yo) - DT

Chance Warmack (25yo) - G

Ron Leary (27yo) - G

Le'Veon Bell (24yo) - RB

 

Really feels like we need to go after quality and not quantity in FA this year. It just seems like we've been forced to try and address too many needs with too few resources in prior years and now we have a bunch of support/depth guys and no play-makers. I'd rather see 2-3 big signings than a bunch of smaller signings. If we need to fill the rest with late round picks or UDFA, then it seems like that's a risk worth taking.

[jameszeigler834]

4 minutes ago, BCoop said:

There has been a lot of discussion already on different prospects for this year, but I haven't seen much in regards to who may be available in FA. I thought I remembered some mentioning we would have a considerable amount of cap room this offseason. Some of that will go to extending current players of course. But, will we have enough to sign difference makers as well? A few good options will be out there according to sportrac. I realize some of these guys may have gotten extensions and the site hasn't been updated. Just hoping to get conservation kicked off here.

 

Trumaine Johnson (26yo) - CB

Stephon Gilmore (26yo) - CB 

Dont'a Hightower (26yo) - ILB 

Nick Perry (26yo) - OLB

Melvin Ingram (27yo) - OLB

Chandler Jones (26yo) - OLB

Courtney Upshaw (26yo) - OLB

Nick Fairley (28yo) - DT

Dontari Poe (26yo) - DT

Chance Warmack (25yo) - G

Ron Leary (27yo) - G

Le'Veon Bell (24yo) - RB

 

Really feels like we need to go after quality and not quantity in FA this year. It just seems like we've been forced to try and address too many needs with too few resources in prior years and now we have a bunch of support/depth guys and no play-makers. I'd rather see 2-3 big signings than a bunch of smaller signings. If we need to fill the rest with late round picks or UDFA, then it seems like that's a risk worth taking.

Agreed I would take any of these names if we could get them signed that would be awesome.

[gnet550]

The Colts should have ample Cap Space this offseason, I believe.  I am not sure what the number is, but we should be able to afford 2-3 decent signings.

 

If I could pick 3 it would be:

 

1.Chandler Jones

2. Dont'a Hightower

3. Chance Warmack

 

In that order

[KB]

I think to start we would have to take a look at OLB. Not only because we don't have a pass rush but 3 of ours have expiring contracts. Mathis, Cole, and Walden. I can see us bringing Walden back. He has played solid. Mathis hopefully retires (sorry but he's lost a step and it kinda heartbreaking watching him now). Cole should be gone as well. So that leaves two open spots. One should be saved for the draft at least. I would like for us to kick the tires on courtney Upshaw. With 2 raven's connections this could happen.

 

Now the one that's going to matter the most IMO and I don't see Grigson doing because it will cost so much is Trumaine Johnson. That would be like 2 #1 CBs on the field with von tea.

 

If Dontae Hightower is the only ilb left then we should try for him too. Jackson needs to go after being busted for PEDs. Total let down for the team..

 

The only thing is that I can see all of them staying with their respective teams. maybe not Johnson. I think he's gonna go to the highest bidder.

[BCoop]

I was going to include this in my OP, but I thought it was interesting that Spotrac includes a Market Value feature to their FA lists. Johnson's has him priced at $14.2 mil/yr taking into account recent contracts given out and his performance over the past 2 years. Just FYI in case anyone was interested.

 

Trumaine Johnson - Market Value

[stitches]

Honestly... I kind of don't even care anymore. As long as it's this management making the decisions about FA or about the draft, can we really expect anything good to come out of it? Our free agency needs to start with attracting the best free agent(or college) coach and a good GM with a vision for the team. Anything else is dependent on this first step.

[PeterBowman]

Colts should have plenty of money to do something and there's really no big money contract extensions currently awaiting either.

 

This should be interesting.

 

And no matter how well or badly the Colts do, I always love these discussions.

 

Especially when the season's over and we can talk the draft.

[Boiler_Colt]

The Giants have proved this year that strategic big splashes can drastically improve the defense. If the current staff is in place this will never happen but here is what I would do.

 

Resign Doyle to a 3-4 year deal

Resign Butler to a 1-2 year deal

Walden if hes cheap maybe 2 more years, if he wants too much boot him

 

Sign either Gilmore, Chandler Jones, and Ron Leary and draft an ILB with the first pick. Or sign Gilmore, Poe, and Leary and draft an OLB with the first pick.

 

 

[PeterBowman]

5 minutes ago, Boiler_Colt said:

The Giants have proved this year that strategic big splashes can drastically improve the defense. If the current staff is in place this will never happen but here is what I would do.

 

Resign Doyle to a 3-4 year deal

Resign Butler to a 1-2 year deal

Walden if hes cheap maybe 2 more years, if he wants too much boot him

 

Sign either Gilmore, Chandler Jones, and Ron Leary and draft an ILB with the first pick. Or sign Gilmore, Poe, and Leary and draft an OLB with the first pick.

 

 

how has Poe been this year? I know he's been a game wrecker the past few years.

[BProland85]

1 hour ago, gnet550 said:

The Colts should have ample Cap Space this offseason, I believe.  I am not sure what the number is, but we should be able to afford 2-3 decent signings.

 

If I could pick 3 it would be:

 

1.Chandler Jones

2. Dont'a Hightower

3. Chance Warmack

 

In that order

 

I don't want anything to do with Warmack. I live in the Nashville, TN area so being able to catch some Titans games and hearing the local analysts here he sucks and their OL got better when he was out. 

[gnet550]

1 hour ago, BProland85 said:

 

I don't want anything to do with Warmack. I live in the Nashville, TN area so being able to catch some Titans games and hearing the local analysts here he sucks and their OL got better when he was out. 

Thanks for the insight, I have heard mostly decent things about him.  Maybe strike him off the list then and replace him with Nick Perry

[aReggie7]

I think it will be interesting to see what the Colts do in free agency. They seemed to be committed to building through the draft but they will have a considerable amount of cap space and they really don't have any major players due for an extension soon. They are going to have to spend some money. Will they do what they did a few years ago by signing guys like Erik Walden or will they go after more prominent players like Chandler Jones?

[Track Guy]

Keep an eye on Zach Brown, ILB (currently with the Bills). Could be a bit under the radar compared to some guys on that list, but may fit well with the Colts. 

[BProland85]

3 hours ago, gnet550 said:

Thanks for the insight, I have heard mostly decent things about him.  Maybe strike him off the list then and replace him with Nick Perry

 

For RG I'd like to sign Kevin Zeitlier from Cincy. 

[Clem-Dog]

6 hours ago, Boiler_Colt said:

The Giants have proved this year that strategic big splashes can drastically improve the defense. If the current staff is in place this will never happen but here is what I would do.

 

Resign Doyle to a 3-4 year deal

Resign Butler to a 1-2 year deal

Walden if hes cheap maybe 2 more years, if he wants too much boot him

 

Sign either Gilmore, Chandler Jones, and Ron Leary and draft an ILB with the first pick. Or sign Gilmore, Poe, and Leary and draft an OLB with the first pick.

 

 

 

I'm with you on Doyle, Walden and Butler.  

 

How much do you see each getting in terms of annual salary?  Butler might have earned a decent raise, in the neighborhood of 300-400 % times his base salary of $1.5m.  

[COLTS449]

We need to sign an impact EDGE rusher AND draft 2 or 3!!!! We need to sign Chandler Jones or Nick Perry. Perry is more realistic, Jones probably gets extended. But Perry has shown he can be a double digit sack EDGE rusher, and he's an ascending player. We have plenty of cap room. I wish we could get Nick Perry, one of Stephon Gilmore, Trumaine Johnson, Morris Claiborne, or AJ Bouye, Ronald Leary, then one of Zach Brown, Jamie Collins or Dont'a Hightower. say we got Perry, Johnson, Leary, and Brown. That would be a big win. Then get a beast EDGE rusher in the 1st round like Tim Williams, an all around, week 1 starting ILB in the 2nd, and a RB in the 3rd.

[Boiler_Colt]

1 hour ago, Clem-Dog said:

 

I'm with you on Doyle, Walden and Butler.  

 

How much do you see each getting in terms of annual salary?  Butler might have earned a decent raise, in the neighborhood of 300-400 % times his base salary of $1.5m.  

Doyle's production has slowed down a bit so i don't think he will command too too much. I would say maybe 3 years 10-11m (total not annual). Butler is in his 30's so he wont command that much, probably an Adams type deal and I see him as more of a safety than a CB these days. So 2 years 4-5 mil total? Walden is in his 30's too so he won't command much probably just an extension of his 4m annual rate for 2 more years. I'm just spitballing here, I have no idea.

[richard pallo]

The Ol and ER class is weak this year so I don't see a 1st. rd pick going to those positions.  But I can easily see us signing two players off your list at LB and corner maybe three total.   All would be new starters on defense.  If we do then I can see us drafting RB in the first rd.  Why?  Because it's a deep class with at least three receiving 1st. rd. grades and it's a position of need.  Take what the draft gives you especially in a position of need.  No projects in the 1st, round.  We should be able to find another starter with our pick . 

[will426]

You guys do realize these people might be looking for big cash and the guys with the less talented roster will throw the most to get em so I doubt we'll be in the running for any of these top tier FA second tier sounds more like grigsons resume 

[Boiler_Colt]

1 hour ago, will426 said:

You guys do realize these people might be looking for big cash and the guys with the less talented roster will throw the most to get em so I doubt we'll be in the running for any of these top tier FA second tier sounds more like grigsons resume 

I guess fortunately for us we have both a terrible roster and tons of cash.

[Jdubu]

I would like a #1 CB to pair with Davis, moving Robinson to slot, re-sign Butler to a 2-3 deal as backup slot or even safety slot. Sign one of the ILB to put in with E Jackson or one of the OLB who can get to the passer. Re-sign Doyle as well. Then draft well, another successful draft like last year and 2 solid defensive FA pick ups and we should be much improved.