FanPost

Never Too Early to Look at 2014 Free Agency/Draft

I haven't heard any important news from the Colts in a while. I don't know about you guys, but when it's a slow period of news for the Colts, I start to speculate about their future. My favorite thing to speculate about is adding new players to the team which probably explains why my favorite part about Madden is the offseason period where I can scout college prospects and sign big name free agents.

This past offseason we've seen the Colts solidly quiet a few positions. Our QB and TE positions were already set before free agency even began, but adding Matt Hassellback gave us a nice insurance policy in case the unthinkable happens. It looks like our RB, WR, S, and ILB positions have been fixed at least for this season, but next season we could use an upgrade at those positions. OL theoretically looks like we are alright with 4 new additions, but we are missing depth at T, probably need to find a replacement for Satele, and Costanzo is a FA next year. We have the cap space to resign him, but in today's day and age of free agency nothing is certain. Depth at OLB and CB are also concerns as is RB with Bradshaw only signing a one year deal and Donald Brown being in his last year I his contract.

I think at the end of the day we need to start looking for some replacements for the former Pro Bowlers from the previous regime. AB, Reggie, and Mathis are all going to need to be replaced soon and with about $40 million next offseason. We could use that period of free agency and the draft to find those replacements.

A couple players I'd be interested would be Jarius Byrd, who has not sign a long term with the Bills yet, and Brian Orakpo. I think we could find Reggie's replacement in the draft. Heyward Bey only signed a one year contract so we might need to grab 2 WRs next year. But of course we could upgrade a few other positions besides just S, WR, and OLB. A replacement for Redding would be nice and if neither Angerer nor Conner return next season we would need to fill the void at ILB. We also have to remember that Vontae Davis is going to be a FA as well and if we aren't able to grab him, our secondary is going to look very shaky with our #1 being an injury proned player in Greg Toler.

Priorities: A) Resign AC. We gotta protect Luck's blindside. B) Resign Davis. He has shutdown corner potential which is hard to find. C) Fix our WR position. We are potentially losing one in DHB if another team signs him and adding another year to an already old Reggie Wayne. D) Robert Mathis and Antoine Bathea: see Reggie Wayne, but if we can grab stars like Byrd and Orakpo, I say go for it. We have a lot of solid defenders but not too many difference makers. If Werner lives up to his hype and Orakpo is in Colts Blue, I see Freeney and Mathis all over again for another decade. We would also have Walden still for run defense. E) Upgrade depth at RB, S, and possibly ILB pending Angerer and Conner.

Pat Mcafee is also a FA, but I think we'll end up getting him to resign.

Where do our priorities rank and what positions do you guys think we should look to address next offseason to make the next jump to elite status?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Stampede Blue's writers or editors.