Grading the Indianapolis Colts' Free-Agency Moves so Far

So far, Indianapolis Colts general manager Ryan Grigson is having a very good offseason.

The team has a clear plan of action, they've convinced the free agents they desired to sign in Indianapolis and clear upgrades have been made. Grigson made his share of mistakes early in his tenure, but he and the front office have shown real growth in the last year or so.

So, don't be surprised if I tend to lean favorably toward the individual moves.

More moves will be made, but so far, it's hard to complain about the Colts' direction.

Re-Signings

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Mike Adam—A

A quality veteran safety comes back for a short-term contract? It's the perfect scenario. Adams isn't an impact player at safety, but he's dependable, and that's something the position needs with little stability. The terms of the contract are $4.25 million over two years, and as he's not egregiously overpaid, this was a no-brainer for Indianapolis.

Darius Butler—A

Another solid veteran signing. Getting a solid nickel cornerback who knows the system and is a positive locker room presence is always a good step, especially when you have so little depth. But getting him at $5 million for two years (with just $1 million guaranteed), according to Spotrac, is a steal.

Colt Anderson—B

Anderson is a terrific special teams player, but if the Colts are expecting Anderson to be part of the answer at safety, they'll be disappointed. But, the feeling is that the Colts know Anderson's role, and from that point of view, retaining Anderson is the right move.

Joe Reitz—B+

A terrific depth player on a thin offensive line, Reitz fits what the Colts need as a player who can play four positions on the offensive line and is familiar with the roster and coaching staff. The Colts have been a bit noncommittal with Reitz in terms of his playing time in the past, but on his new three-year, $8 million contract, the team knows how valuable he is.

Matt Hasselbeck—B

The Colts brought Hasselbeck back for one more year to continue to back up Andrew Luck. At $3 million dollars, he might be the second-best quarterback in the division for a manageable price. Still, his impact is limited, and if Luck goes down, Hasselback won't save the ship.

Matt Overton—B

He's a limited impact player as the long snapper, but he's a glue guy among the special teams unit and dependable.

WR Andre Johnson

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The biggest splash move of the offseason was the Colts upgrading at wide receiver in a big way by bringing in Andre Johnson.

With a young receiver group, the team needed a veteran leader to join the group, as well as a possession receiver to be a weapon to move the chains. Johnson fills both roles, still having enough left in the tank to average over 100 catches and 1,300 yards over the last three seasons.

The Colts replaced Reggie Wayne with a younger, more athletic version, which is a good thing for the short-term future of the franchise. Johnson being in Indianapolis will allow Donte Moncrief and Duron Carter to develop at the right pace, rather than being relied upon as starters right away.

The contract for Johnson is well-structured also, with 75 percent of the guaranteed money coming in 2015. The other 25 percent will be applied to the 2016 cap, so the Colts have very little long-term risk associated with Johnson, just in case his age does cause a drop-off sooner than expected.

Grade: A+

Johnson is exactly who the Colts wanted, and they didn't let him leave Indianapolis without a deal.

RB Frank Gore

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The only name on this list that could even begin to draw as much interest as Johnson, Frank Gore has been a mainstay in San Francisco for years, but he was let go in favor of the younger Carlos Hyde.

After making a brief stop in Philadelphia, Gore reversed course and decided to sign with the Colts, in large part because of quarterback Andrew Luck and the title potential in Indianapolis. If Gore wants a title in 2015, he will need to be a key part for Indianapolis. 

After struggling to find balance between the run game and the passing attack in 2014, the Colts brought in Gore to help transition a rushing attack burdened by the presence of Trent Richardson to a new era. Gore isn't on a long-term contract, much like Johnson, and he will have all of his guaranteed money accounted for by 2017. In fact, Over the Cap's Bryce Johnston estimates that Gore has just a 14.3 percent chance of receiving his salary in the final year of his contract. 

But, what Gore can do is help a young running back transition into the NFL. If the Colts draft a running back, which I expect they will with the depth in the 2015 draft, they will be set up with an optimal long and short-term group. Gore can provide the power and leadership in 2015, with a rookie and/or Dan Herron setting up as long-term options.

Grade: A-

Paying for a veteran running back usually isn't the most efficient use of cap space, but Gore fits what the Colts need exactly.

OLB Trent Cole

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It's hard to criticize short-term deals for productive players, and OLB Trent Cole fits that mold nearly as well as Johnson and Gore do.

Cole has been one of the league's premier pass-rushers, although he's declined with age. Still, Cole has had a positive grade from Pro Football Focus in every season, and unlike many of the Colts' defensive signings over the last year, he is actually a very good pass-rusher alongside his run-stopping abilities. 

According to Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus, Cole remained one of the 10 most efficient 3-4 OLB pass-rushers in 2014, despite losing some snaps. While he and Robert Mathis are both aging, they can both be effective pass-rushers and should limit each other's snap counts. With Jonathan Newsome continuing to develop, the Colts could actually have a decent rotation of pass-rushers in 2015. 

Grade: B+

Paying $8 million a year is a lot for someone turning 33 this year but top-end pass-rushers don't come cheap.

DT Kendall Langford

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The only contract with some decent length to it was the Colts' signing of defensive tackle Kendall Langford. 

A 4-3 defensive tackle in St. Louis, Langford projects as a five-tech defensive end in the Colts' 3-4 hybrid defense, basically replacing Cory Redding. Langford struggled as a starter in St. Louis before being demoted to a rotational role in 2014, with Aaron Donald coming to town.

Langford was a defensive end in the Miami defense before going to St. Louis, and he was more effective as a pass-rusher in that role than he was as a Ram. The Colts will hope that it translates in Indianapolis as well, as the team needs somebody to fill the void that Redding left as the lone defensive lineman to provide pass rush. 

However, if the Colts think that Langford will fix their run defense, they are taking a risk. In four years in Miami, Langford never once had a positive grade from Pro Football Focus in run defense, racking up a negative -23.9 grade in that category over the four years. In St. Louis' 4-3, he was in the positives in 2013-2014, but he did accumulate a -16.9 grade as a full-time starter in 2012. 

Grade: C

Langford is an under-the-radar candidate to start on the defensive line, kind of like Ricky Jean Francois was back in 2013. Langford's history as a starter is mixed at best, which gives reason for concern. But, his contract has minimal guaranteed money tied up, which mitigates the risk.

OT Todd Herremans

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Arguably the biggest problem with the Colts' offensive line over the last few years has been the lack of depth. Sure, the offensive line isn't loaded with starting-level talent, but the problems have been compounded when starting-level players have gotten injured.

That's not to say that bringing in starters isn't priority No. 1 as far as the offensive line is concerned, but getting deeper at the position is one way to quickly improve.

Herremans is one piece of a potential solution. While he's 32, turning 33 in October, he brings veteran leadership to a very young interior group and can compete with Hugh Thornton for the starting right guard position. If Herremans wins the spot, great. If not, he's still more than decent depth on the interior, especially as a run-blocker.

Grade: B-

It's hard to see downside to this move. Herremans has been a monster run-blocker in his career, and even if he isn't the same dependable starter he was for years in Philadelphia, he's cheap depth.