Upgrade or Downgrade: Making the Call on Colts' Major Offseason Additions

It has already been a busy offseason for the Indianapolis Colts, filling key positions with free agents over the past few weeks.

But have those additions been upgrades or downgrades?

Last season's Colts were far from perfect, but their offense was one of the more exciting in the NFL, ranking sixth with 28.6 points per game. The defense, however, wasn't nearly as effective, giving up 23.1 points per contest.

So far this offseason, general manager Ryan Grigson has appeared more focused on continuing to build the offense, adding players like Andre Johnson, Frank Gore and Todd Herremans. Defensive players like Trent Cole and Kendall Langford have joined the team as well, but all of the buzz around the league is about what the Colts offense could look like in 2015.

There's still plenty of offseason left, but before the NFL draft gets any closer, let's take a look at the biggest free-agent signings and determine whether they were upgrades or downgrades from players at the same position last season.

Andre Johnson

The Colts already had two promising weapons in T.Y. Hilton and Donte Moncrief heading into next season, but with Reggie Wayne not returning, they needed to bring in a veteran presence.

Fortunately for Indianapolis, it was able to snag Andre Johnson.

It's hard not to be excited about the 6'3", 230-pound veteran. Johnson will bring a physical presence on the outside to open up the rest of the field for guys like Hilton, Moncrief, Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen. While he's never had a true star throwing him the ball, Johnson has still been able to catch 1,012 passes for 13,597 yards and 64 touchdowns over his career.

Even if Johnson isn't the same player that he used to be, he can rely on his size and hands to make plenty of plays. Colts fans might not want to hear it, but Johnson is a much more promising weapon for 2015 compared to Wayne, who appeared to be near the end of his career after seriously struggling last season.

Verdict: Upgrade

Frank Gore

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Considering Frank Gore is replacing Trent Richardson, this decision wasn't too difficult.

Gore might be 31 years old, but he showed that he has plenty left in the tank last season after running for 1,106 yards on 255 carries with the San Francisco 49ers. 

With the way Gore runs, he's an ideal player to fit in Pep Hamilton's offensive scheme. He's an aggressive downhill runner that doesn't hesitate at the line of scrimmage, making up for his lack of top-end speed and burst.

The Colts might not have to go with a running back by committee as long as Gore is healthy, but don't be surprised if they still look for a running back early in this year's draft to find the 31-year-old's eventual replacement.

Verdict: Upgrade

Todd Herremans

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Offensive line depth has been a huge concern for the Colts the past few seasons, and we saw it again last year. By the time the playoffs rolled around, the Colts were just plugging players in wherever they could fit them to try to protect Andrew Luck.

That could possibly change this year. Along with Joe Reitz returning, the Colts brought in Todd Herremans to give them depth at offensive guard. The 32-year-old spent his entire career with the Philadelphia Eagles before joining the Colts, and he proved to be a consistent blocker. 

A rough 2014 campaign was derailed by a foot injury, but the Colts are hoping that he can return to form. While Herremans isn't exactly replacing anyone, he'll be adding depth on the offensive line, and that's exactly what the Colts need.

Verdict: Upgrade

Trent Cole

Evan Habeeb/Getty Images

Despite Greg Manusky's efforts to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks this past season, the Colts lacked any true pass-rushers prior to the emergence of rookie Jonathan Newsome. Robert Mathis should return at some point next season, but even with him and Newsome, there were concerns about how the Colts would get to the passer in 2015.

Grabbing another player from his former team, Grigson signed Trent Cole to play outside linebacker. At 32 years old, Cole hasn't had a double-digit sack season since 2011, but he has still been able to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

The Colts will need Cole while Mathis continues to recover from his torn Achilles. Once Mathis returns, I could see the Colts moving Cole to the other side to possibly replace Erik Walden as an edge-setter. Cole is a more disciplined veteran that could be an asset against the run.

Verdict: Upgrade

Kendall Langford

Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

With Cory Redding going to play for Bruce Arians and the Arizona Cardinals, there are even more concerns about the state of the defensive line. Kendall Langford might have been the only free-agent signing on the defensive line, but the Colts will likely be using one or two of their draft picks on players in the trenches.

Langford is an interesting player at 6'6" and 313 pounds. He has never missed a game since coming into the league in 2008, playing with the Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams. In his recent stint with the Rams, Langford was used mostly as a defensive tackle in a 4-3 defensive scheme.

There are questions about Langford playing defensive end in a 3-4 defense, but that doesn't mean he's going to be a bad player. Still, considering the impact Redding made during his time in Indianapolis, it's going to be hard for Langford to come in and replace him.

Verdict: Downgrade

Nate Irving

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The inside linebacker position was one of the Colts' biggest weaknesses in 2014. D'Qwell Jackson struggled to make plays unless they were five-plus yards down the field, while Jerrell Freeman couldn't bounce back after missing three of the first four games.

Freeman's future is up in the air as a restricted free agent, which is likely why the Colts brought in former Denver Broncos linebacker Nate Irving. The 26-year-old still has plenty of football left in him, although he is currently recovering from a torn ACL he suffered halfway through last season.

If healthy, Irving gives the Colts another option at inside linebacker to try to stop the run. Irving was a disciplined run-stopper in Denver, and while there are concerns about his ability to drop back in coverage, he's in the same boat as the other Colts linebackers.

Whether he starts or Freeman returns and he comes off the bench, Irving gives the Colts some more depth at the inside linebacker position. Players like Andrew Jackson and Josh McNary struggled when put on the field, and Irving should be able to hold his own.

Verdict: Upgrade