5 Moves Indianapolis Colts Should Have Made This Offseason

The Indianapolis Colts have made a lot of attention-grabbing moves this offseason.

Both sides of the age spectrum were targets here, with the Colts signing aging big names in Frank Gore, Andre Johnson and Trent Cole in free agency before shockingly drafting Phillip Dorsett in the first round of the 2015 draft.

Most have supported the Colts offseason, and for good reason. The Colts have filled glaring short-term needs with high-performing players on short contracts and put together a solid draft with a player they had graded in the top 20 and a multitude of potential long-term defensive starters.

But no offseason is perfect.

While the Colts offseason was strong and one that I find difficult to complain about, there are a few moves that the team could have made. If executed, these moves would have made the team better, at least on paper, heading into the 2015 season.

Put a Premium on Offensive Line in the Draft

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The Colts offense is loaded.

With Andrew Luck handing the ball off to Frank Gore and throwing to Andre Johnson and T.Y. Hilton, the Colts offense is as star-studded as it has ever been. But what separates this team from other good offenses around the league is the depth of targets Luck will have.

Behind Johnson and Hilton are young speedsters Phillip Dorsett and Donte Moncrief, both of whom have high ceilings. Then there are two viable targets at tight end with Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen filling different but valuable roles. If Gore is hurt, Dan Herron returns and is extremely versatile.

The one area on the Colts' offensive roster that is concerning is the offensive line.

It seems like this is the state of the line in Indianapolis every year, but once again the team has a stud (Anthony Castonzo) and a potential stud (Jack Mewhort) surrounded by question marks. If there is one thing that could potentially derail the Colts' record-breaking hopes for 2015 and beyond, it's the offensive line.

But the team put few resources into finding long-term pieces this offseason, including not drafting a lineman until its final pick in the seventh round.

Even if a rookie lineman didn't make a huge impact in 2015, he would have improved the offense's long-term sustainability if the pick was a hit.

Drafted Defense in the First Round

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Other than drafting a lineman in the first round, the route that the vast majority of analysts saw the Colts going during the 2015 draft was defense.

The team's defense has wavered between inconsistent and awful over the last two seasons, falling apart in the playoffs in multiple postseason blowouts. Sure, the offense had some long-term questions at wide receiver, but the defense had few playmakers and needed help.

So when the Colts drafted wide receiver Phillip Dorsett out of Miami, the initial reaction was simply one of shock and confusion.

"

Colts have TY Hilton and needs on defense and they took… Phillip Dorsett?

— Chandler Miller (@CMillerNFL) May 1, 2015"

According to Mike Wells of ESPN.com, the Colts were going with the best player available here, as they had Dorsett ranked in the top 20 players in the draft. The strategy itself is sound. If Dorsett turns out to be a top-20 player in this draft, it will be well worth it.

But there is a big risk here.

If Dorsett isn't a star, he likely won't have been worth passing up a chance to get a stud defender to be a building block for years to come.

Signed Evan Mathis

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If the Colts couldn't find a way to upgrade the offensive line in the draft but still wanted to improve the line, one option that could have been exercised (and really still could) is signing former Philadelphia Eagle Evan Mathis.

Mathis, the patron saint of Pro Football Focus' offensive line grading, has been one of the best guards in the league for some time, but he was recently released by the Eagles as a part of a strange contract and culture dispute.

While Mathis isn't quite as good as his reputation among Pro Football Focus circles would have you think (scheme plays a big part here), he's still a solid, starting-level guard who could be had for a short-term contract.

With Gosder Cherilus' injury issues forcing Jack Mewhort to move to right tackle, the left guard position is open, making for a somewhat easy transition for Mathis. General manager Ryan Grigson knows Mathis and his talents from his time in Philadelphia.

Perhaps the Colts have pursued a potential contract with the 33-year-old veteran. Perhaps his contract demands were too high. But the Colts have just under $10 million in cap space remaining, per Spotrac.com, with a few expendable contracts on the books that could be terminated to make room if needed.

Mathis would bring stability to the Colts offensive line, an extremely desirable trait for a line filled with inconsistencies. If the team really is going all-in on a 2015 Super Bowl run before Andrew Luck's contract extension comes, Mathis would make perfect sense.

Cut Donald Thomas, Used Money Elsewhere

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One of the previously mentioned expendable contracts that the Colts still have on the books is veteran guard Donald Thomas.

Thomas was part of a famously overpaid 2013 free-agency class for Indianapolis, signing a four-year, $14 million contract before missing both of the last two seasons with a torn quad. It's neither Thomas' nor Indianapolis' fault for the poor returns on the contract, but it still has been disappointing.

Slated to make $3.75 million this season, per Spotrac.com, Thomas is just within the Colts' top 15 cap hits this season. But Thomas may not even make the final roster, much less compete for a starting position. Sure, if Thomas is cut, his cap hit won't count (aside from the $500,000 in dead money left), but that won't help the Colts in August.

Had the Colts cut Thomas in March, they would have saved $3.25 million and could have spent that extra cap space on another free agent or upgraded to a higher-impact addition.

Sure, there is a chance that Thomas gets snaps this season, but the chances that he makes an impact that comes anywhere close to his $3.75 million cap hit are small at best.

Signed a Mid-Level Defensive Lineman

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So what could the Colts have spent some extra cash on this free agency, having nearly $10 million in cap space remaining with at least $3.25 million in potential savings available?

One option would have been a short-term contract for a mid-level defensive lineman. The team did sign former St. Louis Ram Kendall Langford to a four-year, $17 million contract, but his ceiling isn't as high as somebody like Nick Fairley, Terrance Knighton or Dan Williams.

Williams was had for a four-year, $25 million contract, which may have been a little much for Indianapolis. The team would have had plenty of room in 2015, but it has tried to avoid long-term deals with much guaranteed money considering Luck's impending contract.

Both Fairley and Knighton, however, signed one-year deals for $5 million or less, and they could have been relatively cheap additions to a defensive line that needs playmakers. Both Fairley and Knighton have some risk attached, but with no guaranteed money committed for 2016 and beyond, it could have been a risk worth taking.