NFL.com: 8 Colts Listed Among NFL’s Top Free Agents

The Indianapolis Colts are not expected to strike new deals with any of their own free agents before the open negotiating period begins on Monday.

If deals are to be done with any of their in-house players, they should expect to have competition for many of them.

Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com compiled a list of the NFL's top 101 available free agents, and there's a heavy dose of Colts among them.

Rank 29: Justin Houston
Edge · Age: 32
Professionalism ages well. One of the most productive pass rushers of the last decade can still get it done, albeit in a reduced role.

Houston still has a little juice left at his age, but after posting 11.0 sacks and 13 tackles for loss on 674 snaps in 2019 and then 8.0 sacks and 8 tackles for loss in 645 snaps last year, it's realistic to expect his effectiveness and usage to continue dwindling.

Rank 34: T.Y. Hilton
WR · Age: 31
Smaller receivers don’t always age well, but Hilton’s tape last year was a lot more impressive than his final numbers.

The only thing that may keep Hilton and the Colts apart this offseason is price. The Ghost can still contribute and there's no one more respected inside that building, but he's coming off the two least-productive seasons of his career and has battled through injuries (and played through many of them) for three years. It will be how he and his agent value him versus the price the Colts are willing to pay. The most likely free-agent receiver targets for the Colts are likely in Hilton's price range, so as long as their offer is respectable, he may return.

Rank 49: Denico Autry
DE · Age: 31
I defy you to watch Autry for a few games and not come away thinking, “Nice ballplayer!”

Autry has been arguably Colts general manager Chris Ballard's best free-agent find, but he's apparently in high demand. He gave the Colts 20.0 sacks and 26 tackles for loss while playing defensive end and tackle for three years in Indianapolis. However, the Colts can live without paying him a huge price tag.

Rank 52: Xavier Rhodes
CB · Age: 31
Rhodes showed in Indianapolis he still has quality snaps to give in the right scheme.

It would be great for the Colts to get Rhodes back, as he is easily one of the Colts' most-critical free agents. He revived his career in Indianapolis in 2020 and played at arguably a Pro Bowl level. However, does that make his price tag too high? How much does former Colts cornerbacks coach Jonathan Gannon leaving to become the Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator factor in?

Rank: 55 Jacoby Brissett
QB · Age: 28
See my note on Andy Dalton for the relative value of backup quarterbacks. The last time Brissett played with a healthy shoulder, in the first half of the 2019 season, he played quite well.

The Colts need an experienced backup quarterback behind Carson Wentz, as they're not yet comfortable bestowing that position upon second-year project Jacob Eason. Like Hilton, Brissett is beloved inside the Colts organization. However, he may want to go somewhere to compete to start.

Rank 79: Marlon Mack
RB · Age: 25
One of the league’s most underrated running backs would be worth a flier, even coming off a torn Achilles.

Running back is a position that especially does not bounce back well from Achilles injuries. Given his patience and vision, I'm willing to say Mack is capable, but what about his burst? It may take a little while for Mack to get signed, but I'm not sure it's going to be in Indianapolis after the emergence of his replacement, Jonathan Taylor.

Rank 87: Malik Hooker
S · Age: 25
Players coming off major injuries like Hooker’s torn Achilles can often be underpaid in free agency.

Like Mack, Hooker suffered a season-ending Achilles injury near the beginning of the season and was replaced by a rookie that played at a high level and made themselves the obvious starter moving forward. It makes very little sense for Hooker to return since the Colts now have two other starting safeties. It might just be time for a fresh start in a scheme that shows off his strengths.

Rank 98: Al-Quadin Muhammad
DT · Age: 26
Muhammad can play multiple positions well and still has some upside.

He's been an underrated contributor for the Colts as someone who can play the run and provide some occasional pass rush. We'll see what his market is, but returning to an Indianapolis defensive line that only has two true ends under contract in 2021 makes a lot of sense.

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