Prioritizing the Colts 2024 free agents

The Indianapolis Colts lost for the first time in five games and fell to 7-6 on the year. 

The team will turn their focus to their Week 15 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but I took a different approach. 

As the season's end approaches, I decided to take a look at the top ten Colts players who are set to become free agents and rank them on how important it is for the Colts to resign them. 

Top 10 2024 Colts free ag ents: 

The following list is who I believe to be the top ten Colts free agents in alphabetical order via their last name. 

• Julian Blackmon SS
• Tyquan Lewis DE
• Isaiah McKenzie WR
• Gardner Minshew QB
• Kenny Moore II CB
• Zack Moss RB
• Danny Pinter C
• Michael Pittman Jr. WR
• Rigoberto Sanchez P
• Grover Stewart DT

Priority List: 

Below is how I rank these ten players, from one being the most important player to resign to ten being the least. 

Tier 1: Must resign

Michael Pittman Jr. is far and away the highest priority to resign for the Colts this offseason. His extension will be hefty, but he has earned it, and I've been told the Colts intend to pay him this offseason. If, for some reason, the team and Pittman Jr. can't agree on an extension, I believe the team would use the franchise tag to prevent him from hitting the open market and keep him with the team for another season. 

Tier 2: Should resign 

After Pittman Jr., the list got a little tricker and could be ranked in many different ways. For me, the player who should be priority number two is safety Julian Blackmon. The Colts are currently attempting to figure out who they believe shou ld start between Rodney Thomas II or Nick Cross. But there is no doubt that Julian Blackmon is currently the best safety on the Colts. They've allowed him to play multiple roles in Gus Bradley's defense, and his ability as a tackler and play recognition has been on full display this season. 

After Blackmon, I have the pair of veterans in Kenny Moore II and DT Grover Stewart. Both have been big parts of the Colts defense this season and are both players I believe the team wants back next season. With Moore II, the youth in the CB room makes him even more valuable to be the veteran in the room and aid the development of the young CBs on the roster. For Stewart, his importance to this defense was seen while he was serving his six-game suspension, as he is the engine that makes the team's run defense go. 

It may be a shocker to some in the fifth spot, but I have center Danny Pinter. Pinter is on IR this season with an injury he suffered in the preseason. And new backup Wesley French has looked solid when he's been asked to fi ll in for Ryan Kelly. I still have Pinter this high, though, because rumors are circulating that Kelly could be hanging it up and retiring after the season. And if that is to happen, I believe having Pinter and French here to compete with a possible rookie is the best plan for the Colts going forward. And coming off an injury, he would likely sign a one-year prove-it deal with the Colts. 

Tier 3: Depends on the price 

RB Zack Moss and QB Gardner Minshew headline the next group. Neither will be the expected starter next season, with Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor in the fold. If the team can resign either for a reasonable price, I think both have earned the opportunity to continue to be the backups for the Colts. But if either is offered starting-level money elsewhere, I believe the Colts would have to let them walk and replace them with cheaper options. 

In my opinion, the last group of three are all reasonably close to each other, with punter Rigoberto Sanchez, WR/kick returner Isaiah McKenzie, and defensive end Tyquan Lewis. All three have been productive players for the Colts, but all three are players that could be replaced. After returning from injury, Sanchez has had an up-and-down year, and the team could look for more stability at the position. And with McKenzie and Lewis, both are just rotational pieces on their side of the ball and unless they return for a league-minimum-level contract, I could see the team moving on as well.