2 Colts Make PFF's Top 50 Pending Free Agents List
The Indianapolis Colts are still pushing to make the playoffs. But once the season ends, the Colts will have two significant decisions to make with their roster.
Those decisions will also have to be made before the offseason really even begins.
Pro Football Focus' Brad Spielberger ranked the top 50 pending free agents for the 2024 offseason on December 13. Both Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and cornerback Kenny Moore II made the list.
Spielberger ranked Pittman as the second-best available receiver and 11th overall player in the upcoming free agency class.
"Plenty of holes will be poked in Pittman’s game in the coming months as he gets set to enter free agency, with some athletic limitations keeping his average depth of target down, especially compared to predominantly outside wide receivers," Spielberger wrote.
"Nonetheless, Pittman is as reliable a possession receiver as there is in the NFL, and it’s also fair to wonder if a carousel at quarterback in Indianapolis has limited his production."
Despite playing with two new quarterbacks in 2023, Pittman has 95 receptions, 984 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns entering Week 15. Behind those totals, Pittman is closing in on career highs across the board. Realistically, he could set new high-water marks in receptions and receiving yards as early as the matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Spielberger argued that will get him paid.
Spotrac projected Pittman's market value to be $90.7 million on a four-year contract. That would put his average annual salary between $22-23 million, which is the average annual salary range Washington Commanders wideout Terry McLaurin received with his latest deal (but his was a three-year contract).
The Colts have young receivers Alec Pierce and Josh Downs still on rookie contracts if they wish to move on from Pittman. But Pittman has more receptions this season than Downs and Pierce have put together.
Although not nearly as touted, Moore also made Spielberger's list as the seventh-best cornerback and 41st overall player.
Moore has experienced a bounce back season after a very disappointing 2022. According to PFF, he's having the best coverage season of his career.
Moore has intercepted 3 passes in 2023, 2 of which he returned for touchdowns.
Spielberger, though, referred to the slot cornerback market as "dormant." So it doesn't sound like Spielberger predicts Moore to land a big contract.
Similar to wide receiver, the Colts have invested a lot of draft picks in the secondary over recent years. So they could go the younger, cheaper route and allow Moore to test free agency.
But like Pittman, Moore's experience in Indianapolis' young position group has been invaluable. If he's not super expensive, there will certainly be a place for Moore on the 2024 Colts roster.
With about $73.3 million to spend, the Colts will have the fourth-most cap space this upcoming offseason according to Spotrac.
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