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The Indianapolis Colts released defensive tackle Ricky Jean Francois earlier this week in a move that was primarily for salary cap purposes, saving close $5 million in cap space by doing so. And while RJF's agent told the Indianapolis Star's Stephen Holder that a return to Indy has not been ruled out, it seems very likely that RJF will be playing elsewhere in 2015.
Ever since he was released, people began wondering whether he would return to his former team, the San Francisco 49ers, especially now that former defensive line coach Jim Tomsula is the head coach. When Tomsula was promoted to the job earlier this year, Jean Francois said that the the coach is "one of the best coaches I've ever been around."
According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, RJF is returning to San Francisco - at least for a visit - and that the defensive lineman will also visit the Washington Redskins this week.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Former <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Colts?src=hash">#Colts</a> DL and now FA Ricky Jean-Francois is visiting the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Redskins?src=hash">#Redskins</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/49ers?src=hash">#49ers</a> this week, source says</p>— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/570560768644493312">February 25, 2015</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
In two years with the Colts, RJF played in 26 games and started 23, recording 47 tackles, 5.5 sacks and six passes defensed. He had a terrific attitude and was a very solid depth defensive lineman and spot starter, filling a nice role as a rotational player. But that role didn't justify the cap hit of over $6 million for next year, and since the Colts could get out of it and save most of the money, that's what they did. Some team is going to get a solid rotational defensive lineman in RJF, and we wish him the best with his new team - or with a return to his old team (he spent 2009-2012 with the 49ers).