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According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Indianapolis Colts free agent cornerback T.J. Carrie is visiting the Buffalo Bills on Tuesday:
Free agent cornerback T.J. Carrie is in Buffalo visiting the #Bills today, per source. Carrie had two interceptions and eight passes defended for the #Colts last year, is viable veteran DB option for Bills after Josh Norman departure.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 13, 2021
The New Orleans Saints recently hosted Carrie a few weeks ago, and there hasn’t been much noise on any ongoing contract negotiations with the Colts.
Signed to a 1-year, $1.05M deal with the Colts last offseason, Carrie was a revelation at cornerback for Indianapolis. Initially added as veteran insurance for Kenny Moore in the slot, Carrie assumed a more prominent role with his play (and in the wake of some of 2nd-year cornerback Rock Ya-Sin’s struggles along the outside).
Carrie finished with 32 tackles (25 solo), 8 passes defensed, 2 interceptions (1 returned for a touchdown), and a fumble recovery during 15 games (2 starts) in 2020.
Per PFF (subscription), Carrie was their 37th best cornerback this past season with a +67.9 overall grade—including a +90.0 run defense grade.
This past season, he was targeted 42 times in coverage for 24 receptions (57.1% completion rate), 347 receiving yards (14.5 ypr. avg.), 2 touchdown receptions, and 2 interceptions—while committing 4 penalties.
While the Colts re-signed fellow free agent veteran Xavier Rhodes, it looks as though the team could be electing to get younger at the cornerback position at the expense of the 30 year old Carrie—given the lack of recent smoke in contract talks.
Even though such a decision could very well pay off bigger picture, it’s important to note that Carrie was a valuable and unheralded member of last season’s secondary—and could be joining the same AFC team that just knocked the Colts out of this past year’s playoffs.