PFF Urges Colts to be 'Big Spenders' in Free Agency

Thanks to the fourth-most cap space in the NFL ahead of the start of the 2021 NFL season, many analysts continue to circle the Indianapolis Colts and General Manager Chris Ballard as potential players in free agency in a year in which many teams are cash-strapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Behind a number of smart, cost efficient moves over the last few years, Ballard has put the Colts in a great spot moving forward. With all that cap space, the Colts could make some big-time moves to fill some holes ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft, such as left tackle, pass rusher and cornerback, now that QB Carson Wentz is in the fold.

On Thursday, Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson identified the Colts as one of five teams that could be big-time spenders in free agency.

Here's what Monson had to say about the Colts being potential big-time spenders:

"The biggest issue facing the Colts this offseason was the same one from a year ago — who would their starting quarterback be? Philip Rivers provided the answer last season, but his retirement created the same issue. They elected to take a swing at fixing Carson Wentz, acquiring him in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles.

"The Colts still have holes on the roster. They have a lot of money to spend for the second season in a row, but this year they have an even bigger motivation to spend it, even with upcoming contract extensions looming for players already on the roster.

"Given the investment in Wentz, the Colts can’t risk starting a liability at left tackle, which is always a possibility even with a first-round tackle from the draft.

"They have the kind of resources that could tempt Trent Williams into signing, which would provide a massive boost to the Colts' line. Williams was the best left tackle in the league in 2020, and the side could easily absorb a market-leading contract for him over the next three years. Williams allowed just 19 total pressures last year and was the best run-blocker in the league at his position. He would form the best double-team in football alongside Quenton Nelson and, more importantly, guarantee high-level play on Wentz's blindside. It would also reserve that first-round pick for a receiver, a position with a superb strike rate in recent seasons and where you already have some built-in contingency."

Though the Colts have a ton of cap space, it's hard to envision Ballard shifting his overall team building philoslophy, focusing on the draft and retaining their own guys. While it's nice to have that amount of money ahead of free agency, don't be surprised if Ballard and the Colts sit out of the initial frenzy and instead wade into the secondary market and go bargain shopping, keeping that financial flexibility to hopefully lock up some key building blocks to extensions in the near future.