THE Indianapolis Colts will have some interesting decisions to make this offseason. Whether these picks are made for free agency, the draft, or just general personnel movements on the roster, the next few months should be busy for Chris Ballard and Co.
Among these decisions to be made, the application of one or two cap losses is generally part of the offseason that every NFL team usually goes through. The Colts are no different and might even have a few prime candidates on their roster who could be preparing to leave based on their underlying financial situation.
The biggest player that comes to mind on the Colts roster might be a veteran tackle Brad SmithWHO Money launderers reportthe recognition department designated as the team’s most likely victim.
“The Colts set the wheels in motion to potentially move on from Smith late this season when they drafted Matt Goncalves in the third round of last year’s draft,” Money launderers report wrote. “The Colts can release Smith and only have to pay $3 million in cap fees while opening up $16.8 million in cap space. Smith ranked among the top 20 run blockers in the tackles this season, but he was 59th in pass protection while accumulating 12 penalties during his 731 offensive snaps, according to PFF, his level of play is not enough to be reduced, but the fact that the Colts can create a much larger budget to improve the team cannot be ignored.
Thanks to the emergence of the mentioned Matt Gonçalvesthe decision to cut ties with Smith could be wiser and more affordable. Smith has been with the Colts since 2018 as a vital part of the offensive line, starting all but two games during his tenure.
As a consistent starter on the offensive line, it’s harder to justify the Colts cutting ties with him, but freeing up more than $15 million in cap space could make that difficult to avoid. Indianapolis currently projects to have just under $30 million in free money this offseason, and given that its roster has some significant holes to fill, Smith might just be the odd man out.
Money launderers report‘s scouting department also selected two other injured candidates to make the Colts’ roster: defensive lineman Raekwon Davis and the edge rusher Tyquan Lewis.
“Between DeForest Buckner, Grover Stewart and Raekwon Davis, the Colts have a lot of money invested in the interior defensive line,” Money launderers report continued. “The three should be about $49.8 million against the cap…The most logical casualty would be Davis. They could clear $6.5 million off his cap with a pre-June 1 cut, and he doesn’t He’s played only 30 percent of the defensive snaps this season.
“Lewis missed seven games due to injury this season and had just 1.5 sacks in the 10 games he was healthy for. With younger options available and money to go out and improve the position, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Colts were to part ways with Lewis. The team could save $4.6 million on their cap space by releasing him, and they’ve already proven they have the talent needed. to play without him.
Davis and Lewis are both likely lower in the rankings of the Colts’ top contributors, but by cutting both, Indianapolis could save more than $10 million to help strengthen other areas of the team on either side of the football .
Whether the areas that need tinkering come from the secondary, or even adding more weapons to help Anthony Richardson in his third year, a few extra dollars in the bank goes a long way. In this case, removing all three candidates could free up more than $25 million.
If the Colts leadership finds it possible to reduce some of the weight of their front seven by releasing players like Davis or Lewis, or even with a longtime offensive lineman like Smith, it’s hard to argue with the financial logistics.
NFL free agency will soon be upon us, with the negotiating window opening on March 13. In the meantime, keep a close eye on the Colts and how they plan to approach some tough decisions in the coming weeks.
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