With the conclusion of OTAs last week, the Indianapolis Colts will break for summer until returning at the end of July for training camp at Westfield.
The majority of moves are done for the Colts when it comes to constructing the roster for the 2021 season. The depth charts both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball are mostly set outside of some competition tweaking the order.
So with the majority of the moves having been already made, it’s time to look at the best ones that general manager Chris Ballard made this offseason.
It was a relatively quiet offseason for Ballard, though that is typically to be expected. They had plenty of holes to fill following the retirements of quarterback Philip Rivers and left tackle Anthony Castonzo.
He opted against making drastic moves in pre-draft free agency, signing a handful of depth players to compete for roles on the roster. Some big moves were made following the draft, but it was a quiet offseason for the most part.
There are still some moves to come like signing extensions for key players, but here’s a look at the best moves Ballard made this offseason at the end of the spring workouts:
1
Drafting Kwity Paye
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At this point, the Colts already had quarterback Carson Wentz (more on him soon), so they didn’t need to move up in the draft for a quarterback. At No. 21 overall, Paye was the best prospect that could have landed with the Colts.
There was some discussion about Virginia Tech left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who was likely to be the pick before Paye surprisingly fell to the Colts. Yes, he has yet to step on an NFL field, but we are projecting here.
Paye has the upside to be a lead dog from the edge of the pass rush. He has a three-down skill set from setting the edge against the run to bending around the arc for a sack. The edge rush was the biggest question mark for the Colts, and they may have answered it greatly with the selection of Paye.
2
Trading for Carson Wentz
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Schrödinger’s quarterback. Wentz is both the best and worst move of the offseason for Ballard. The thing is, we won’t know until we open that box to see whether he’s regained his form or killed his career with poor play.
The move to trade for Wentz makes sense, though, even despite his horrendous play in 2020. Giving up a 2021 third and likely 2022 first-round pick will hurt, especially given how much Ballard likes his picks. But there is potential and while hope can be a dangerous thing, the pieces are at least in place for Wentz to bounce back. Maybe not to the MVP level of 2017 but an above-average level like 2018 isn’t completely out of the picture.
This move is placed this high on the list because Wentz was most likely the best option in what was a wasteland of possibilities. Sure, you could make the argument that maybe the Colts should have waited to see if Justin Fields fell to a spot where they could trade up. But we also don’t know how the Colts truly felt about Fields regardless of the fact that move would have been met with immense praise from the outside, including us.
There is no denying the risk the Colts are taking with Wentz. They can get out of the deal in two years and then draft their young quarterback if it doesn’t pan out. But it was probably the best realistic option with the highest upside.
3
Signing Eric Fisher
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A move the Colts made post-draft, Fisher will be the one to eventually replace the retired Castonzo. There is risk, of course, given that Fisher is 30 years old and coming off of a torn Achilles he suffered during the AFC Championship game in January.
However, the Colts are confident enough that Fisher will give them the majority if a season while coming off of his second Pro Bowl nod. Finding edge rushers and a new left tackle were the biggest objectives this offseason after trading for Wentz.
As long as Fisher’s rehab goes well, the Colts achieved one of those objectives in a high regard.
4
Re-signing T.Y Hilton
AP Photo/Darron Cummings
Is Hilton the same player he was a few years ago? Probably not. But he showed throughout the 2020 season he can still be a viable possession receiver while providing somewhat of a decoy given that defenses still roll coverage his way.
Hilton reuniting with a big-arm quarterback in Wentz could help him produce a bit more downfield, an area he didn’t see much action with Philip Rivers—as good as the latter was. It would have been odd to see Hilton sign with another team to finish out his career.
Providing solid depth and mentorship, bringing back Hilton was one of the best moves Ballard could have made.
5
Re-signing Xavier Rhodes
The Colts bet on Rhodes to have a bounce-back campaign in 2020, and he did just that. The veteran thrived in the Colts’ zone-heavy scheme and while it was only for one year, Ballard made a great move to bring Rhodes back.
Had the Colts not re-signed Rhodes, they would have been staring at a massive hole at boundary CB1 on the depth chart. Kenny Moore is the best corner on the team, but he’s best when used in multiple ways. The jury is still out on Rock Ya-Sin, who faces a crucial Year 3 while the rest of the group provides nice depth, but they shouldn’t be trusted with an every-down role.
Re-signing Rhodes pushes back the need to add a starting-caliber cornerback at least for another year.
6
Signing Chris Reed
AP Photo/Brian Westerholt
One of the more underrated signings of the offseason, Reed shouldn’t be overlooked. The Colts needed to add some depth to the interior offensive line, and Reed will provide that in great length.
A tough, smart player who fits well into what the Colts want to do with their offensive line, Reed will fill in nicely as the backup to both left guard Quenton Nelson and right guard Mark Glowinski. He will also provide some mentorship for Danny Pinter, who is expected to take over at right guard after Glowinski’s contract expires in 2022.
7
Letting veterans walk in free agency
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It’s never easy letting players walk in free agency, but the NFL is a business after all. This is no slight on the players who left, but Ballard made mostly good decisions when it came to allowing some core pieces to find new homes.
The two names that come to mind are linebacker Anthony Walker Jr. and defensive end Justin Houston. Both are amazing locker room leaders and have had their share of impact on the Colts defense. But Walker was being outplayed by Bobby Okereke and Houston wasn’t consistent enough in 2020 to warrant another contract that would likely take snaps away from the young edge rushers.
Putting the whole Jacoby Brissett saga behind him was also a move that should be met with praise even if Brissett was one of the leaders in the locker room.
