Next week is expected to be a frantic one for the Indianapolis Colts as they make critical decisions in free agency.
The Colts have missed the playoffs for four straight seasons, and they want nothing more than to break the skid.
Tinkering with the roster is imperative for third-year coach Shane Steichen, who wants to further imbibe a winning mindset, and getting players in free agency could give him a leg up in achieving his vision.
“I think culture is about winning,” said Steichen in a report from IndyStar’s Joel Erickson. “But obviously, you have to cultivate that culture with the players in the locker room and the coaches leading the charge.”
Of course, he also has to deal with the Colts’ free agents, including Ryan Kelly, Will Fries, Dayo Odeyingbo, Julian Blackmon and EJ Speed, among others.
NFL insider Tom Pelissero singled out Odeyingbo as someone who could get the bag this offseason.
“There are a bunch of veteran, big-name edge rushers available in free agency—Khalil Mack, Matt Judon, Haason Reddick, Chase Young and Josh Sweat, to name a few—and Odeyingbo could end up with as big a payday as any of them,” wrote Pelissero.
He noted that the 25-year-old Odeyingbo is one of just six players with 30-plus quarterback hits and fewer than 20 starts over the past two seasons.
“Teams often bet big on upside in crucial areas like edge rushing, so it wouldn’t be a shock to see Odeyingbo land a deal in the range of $16 million to $20 million per year,” added Pelissero.
The second-round pick of the Colts out of Vanderbilt started 14 of their 17 games this season and tallied 31 combined tackles.