What Positions Should the Indianapolis Colts Target in 2015 NFL Draft?

With Week 14 (mostly) in the books—and the college football season entering the postseason—it's definitely time to start looking at the 2015 NFL draft.

Specifically, which areas of need are most pressing for the Indianapolis Colts.

Obviously, with the draft being so far away there's an untold number of scenarios that could emerge to affect the strengths and weaknesses of the Colts. Between free agents both leaving and joining the team, there's a lot of potential for shifts in need before the highly anticipated event rolls around at the end of April.

So, before we can determine what positions the Colts might need to address through the draft, let's take a look at what players the Colts stand to lose to free agency.

AJ Mast/Associated Press

Colts' Notable Impending Free Agents in 2015

• WR Reggie Wayne: The future Hall of Famer has been mulling retirement after this season, citing the justifiable need to spend more time with his family. While he will be missed by fans and players alike, the Colts have done an excellent job finding and grooming his replacement in T.Y. Hilton.
• DE Cory Redding: Redding, who has also been considering life after football, has been a more consistent performer for Indy in 2014. His presence on the defensive line will likely be more noticed than the loss of Wayne in the wide receiver corps.
• WR Hakeem Nicks: Signed to a one-year deal last offseason, Nicks has done nothing to prove he can produce at an elite level in the NFL anymore. At just 26 years of age, it's shocking to say, but it looks like Nicks is done.
• CBs Darius Butler and Josh Gordy: Serviceable depth at corner, Butler and Gordy have played admirably in spot starts and as backups to Vontae Davis and Greg Toler. At 28 and 27 years old, respectively, both can reasonably be expected to return to Indy next season.
• S Sergio Brown: He's been steady, if unspectacular, in replacement of the consistently ineffective LaRon Landry, who lost his starting job after being suspended for violating the NFL's  performance-enhancing drug use policy.
• G Joe Reitz: Below-average guard, really, but he's been starting since Indy lost Hugh Thornton. He appeared to suffer a serious injury in Week 14, but no further news is yet available.
• S Mike Adams: Hasn't publicly addressed retirement, but Adams is 33 and clearly the end is drawing nigh. However, he has been an excellent stop-gap solution this season and leads the Colts with a career-high five interceptions.
• LB Jerrell Freeman: Currently second on the team in tackles, Freeman has been starting at inside linebacker for the Colts since 2012, his rookie season.
• RBs Ahmad Bradshaw and Dan Herron: After being placed on season-ending IR, Bradshaw might be considered over the hill and left to seek employment elsewhere, despite being a productive Colt when healthy. Herron is playing his way to an extension right now, so long as he can get his fumbling under control.
• RS Josh Cribbs: He hasn't been with the team long, but has injected a noticeable energy into the Colts special teams unit. He'd be worth re-signing at his current price.

Whew. That's obviously a lot of players who can hit the market in 2015. Here's hoping the Colts can secure the services of the more key guys—like Freeman and the pair of corners mentioned above.

But not all of these players will be back. As we're all too often reminded, "this is a business." That doesn't mean they have to be replaced through the draft. Free agency works both ways. Indianapolis will have the opportunity to splash some cash on players who have decided to test the market after having their current contracts expire.

By losing many of the larger contracts above—Wayne, Redding and Nicks will free up just under $15 million by themselves—the Colts might look to make a move on a top-quality player.

It's also important to consider that they will soon need to extend both Andrew Luck and Hilton, who will both command contracts that qualify under the "no joke" designation. While Luck seems to be quite content under the Indy umbrella, his logical, calculating personality doesn't scream "hometown discount." Expect somewhere in the neighborhood of $60-plus million guaranteed.

This is one of the most stacked free-agent classes ever though, so it might be hard for Indy to keep their hands out of the cookie jar.

Here's a look at a few of the most tempting players the Colts might take a look at.

Kathy Willens/Associated Press/Associated Press

2015 NFL Free Agents the Colts May Consider

• G Mike Iupati: A stretch to be sure, but Iupati would be the best guard to play in Indianapolis since...ever? I certainly can't think of one off the top of my head, which is a sign in and of itself.
• DE Jason Pierre-Paul: Seems to have dropped off the last couple seasons, but that won't stop him from attracting more than a couple of teams to his door. Only 25, he has plenty left in the tank and will get a pretty penny for it.
• S Antrel Rolle: I can't imagine one of the better safeties in football still wants to be associated with the hardly-breathing New York Giants any longer. The Colts could offer him a place to finish out his career over the next few seasons.
• LB David Harris: If the Colts don't bring back Freeman, Harris would be a more than adequate replacement. Of course, he'd also be significantly more expensive to employ.

Regardless of free agency, the Colts will have plenty to look forward to in what could prove to be a quality NFL draft. Given the relative dearth of quality interior linemen in an otherwise pretty stellar free-agent class, that would be a likely top priority for Indy in April.

The Colts have...er...struggled along the interior of their offensive line this season. After losing starting guard Donald Thomas before the season, the Colts have swapped A.Q. Shipley, Jonotthan Harrison, Joe Reitz, Hugh Thornton and Jack Mewhort around more times than you've swapped trading cards with a friend.

They've had to do so due to injuries.

Indianapolis has been poor at drafting offensive linemen in the past decade—despite using a number of high picks on the line—and both Peyton Manning and Luck have suffered the consequences. Neither has suffered like the running game, however. 

Name	Year	Round Drafted
Jack Mewhort	2014	Second
Hugh Thornton	2013	Third
Anthony Castonzo	2011	First
Ben Ijalana	2011	Second
Mike Pollak	2008	Second
Tony Ugoh	2007	Second

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Needless to say, Colts fans are skeptical by now. Unfortunately, that doesn't change the reality that Indy needs quality players along the offensive line, particularly the interior.

After O-line, the Colts' next-biggest need has to be safety. Landry has done nothing for Indy since they signed him prior to the 2013 season. Delano Howell is missing the 2014 season with a neck injury, which is always tricky to return from, and he was the starter simply for lack of competition before he sustained the injury.

There are a few safeties, such as Rolle, available in free agency, so I wouldn't be surprised to see the Colts go fishing in the market to sign at least one safety before the draft. Even if they do, though, drafting a safety on the second day of the draft wouldn't be a surprise in the slightest.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller's top five safeties who are draft-eligible right now are available here.

After that, Indianapolis' third biggest need may just be wide receiver.

Indy figures to lose both Wayne and Nicks, who simply aren't producing above replacement value at this point anyway. Donte Moncrief may be positioned to take over across from Hilton, but that leaves the essential slot role vacant.

Depending on the receiver acquired, Hilton may find himself in the slot more often, though he's absolutely proved capable of manning the outside.

This makes another receiver capable of playing both inside and out the best possible fit for Indy; somebody who is interchangeable depending on formations and matchups. Moncrief probably isn't the best fit in the slot, as his size and elite physical tools are more fitting of a full-time flanker.

Randall Cobb is set to become a free agent this spring, however, the Colts could never justify giving him the money he will fetch on the open market. His likeness to Hilton is noticeable, though.

Draft-wise, a player like USC's Nelson Agholor might be a great fit. His elite quickness leads to a lot of long plays for his team. He can beat the press and get deep in a hurry, not to mention he has superb short-area quickness, as evidenced by his four punt return touchdowns for Southern Cal. He's had some problems with drops, but that can be corrected once football becomes a 24-hour-a-day job.

Given Indianapolis' situation of impending free agents, the draft is going to be an essential rebuilding step for 2015, so Colts fans should be sure to study up on the incoming class of rookies.