The Indianapolis Colts are set to have some tough conversations this offseason when it comes to players who will and will not return in 2025.
The easiest lines to draw are those involving the future of the team’s in-house free agents. With their contracts expiring, the Colts will either elect to re-sign them or let them walk. In an offseason where significant change is needed, it puts less urgency on re-signing those players despite there being some still that the team would like to bring back.
With that said, the Colts don’t necessarily have any free agents they should feel they have to bring back. In that instance, the team would likely utilize the franchise tag like they did last offseason with wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. before they worked out a new multi-year deal. However, the Colts’ best free-agent players this year aren’t ones who would command what the franchise tag entails. The Colts also aren’t one to use the franchise tag regularly, as Pittman was the first tag by the Colts since 2013.
The designation is a one-year contract worth either the average salary of the top five highest-paid players in the NFL at the player’s position or 120% of the player’s salary from the year before, whichever is greater. Teams have between next Tuesday, February 18 and March 4 to tag players.
The only Colts free agent who may be considered near the top of his position group in the NFL is four-time Pro Bowler Ryan Kelly. However, Kelly will be 32 years old when the 2025 season begins, hasn’t played a full season since 2022 (one of just three full seasons in his nine-year career), and the Colts may already have his replacement in Tanor Bortolini.
The Colts have some free agents who would be more fitting of the transition tag designation instead. This seldom-used tag is a one-year deal worth whatever is greater between the average of the top 10 salaries at the position or a 20% salary increase from the year before.
Linebacker E.J. Speed, safety Julian Blackmon, defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo, and guard Will Fries could all make a compelling argument for the transition tag.