Colts To Re-Sign CB T.J. Carrie
After two visits elsewhere, T.J. Carrie will opt to stay in Indianapolis. The Colts are re-signing the veteran cornerback, according to the Indianapolis Star’s Joel Erickson (on Twitter). It’s a one-year deal worth more than $2MM, according to ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler (on Twitter).
Carrie, who initially signed with the Colts last year, visited the Saints and Bills over the past three weeks. Carrie’s Buffalo trip occurred this week, and Fowler adds the Bills made a push to sign Carrie. Rather than joining a fourth team, however, Carrie will follow Xavier Rhodes in re-signing with the Colts.
[RELATED: Colts Re-Sign CB Xavier Rhodes]
While Carrie played in 15 games last season, he saw a reduced snap rate. After playing more than 60% of his team’s snaps from 2017-19, the former seventh-round pick saw action on just 38% of Indianapolis’ defensive plays in 2020. The Colts stand to bring back their top four corners from last season, with Rhodes and Carrie pledging to stay on one-year accords, slot corner Kenny Moore signed long-term and Rock Ya-Sin still on his rookie deal.
Originally a Raiders draftee in 2014, Carrie spent the 2018 and ’19 seasons with the Browns. While he saw more time in Cleveland, Carrie intercepted a career-high two passes with the Colts and took one back for a touchdown. Pro Football Focus graded Carrie as a top-40 corner and was incredibly high on the seven-year vet’s run-game presence. PFF graded Carrie as the league’s top run-defending corner.
The 30-year-old defender will reprise his role in an experienced cornerback corps, though with both Carrie and Rhodes north of 30, the Colts still profile as a team that could add at this spot early in the draft.
Colts Still In Mix To Re-Sign Justin Houston
Justin Houston spent the past two seasons as the Colts’ top edge rusher, but the 10-year veteran visited the Ravens on Wednesday. However, the Colts are still in the mix to bring Houston back, according to Jim Irsay.
The Colts owner said Wednesday that Houston may still return to Indianapolis, via The Athletic’s Zak Keefer (on Twitter). However, Irsay also indicated the Colts can address their edge and left tackle needs in the draft (Twitter link).
A month ahead of free agency, GM Chris Ballard said a Houston return would depend on the market. The Colts were still monitoring their two-year contributor late last month, but he remains a free agent. The Ravens, however, are looking into edge help. They were interested in Jadeveon Clowney, but the former No. 1 overall pick agreed to a Browns deal Wednesday. Both Baltimore and Indianapolis feature clear needs on the edge.
Houston agreed to a two-year, $24MM Colts deal in 2019 and displayed surprising durability, not missing a game as a Colt after running into frequent injury trouble with the Chiefs. Houston registered 19 sacks in two Colts seasons; three of those were safeties. He joins Melvin Ingram, Ryan Kerrigan and Aldon Smith as the top edge defenders available.
The Colts lost their third-leading sacker from 2020, Denico Autry, who signed with the Titans and have not seen their high draft picks produce at this position. Kemoko Turay has played in just 11 games over the past two seasons, while fellow former second-round pick Tyquan Lewis has six sacks in three seasons. Indianapolis re-signed Al-Quadin Muhammad but certainly should be expected to add one or two starter-level cogs ahead of training camp.
Ravens, Colts Interested In Jadeveon Clowney
The Ravens and Colts have been keeping tabs on free agent edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler). Meanwhile, the Browns have been the most aggressive of the bunch and they’re currently the clubhouse leaders to land him.
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta is not expected to sign an edge rusher until after May 3, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears. That’s the point when UFA signings no longer impact the compensatory pick formula. With that in mind, the Ravens are more likely to draft an edge rusher and add a free agent sometime in May. Clowney, who has played the waiting game before, would probably prefer to wrap up the process sooner with the Browns.
The Browns presented Clowney with the best multi-year offer of any team last year, but he chose a one-year, $13MM pact with the Titans instead. This time around, the interest is mutual, even though Clowney’s eight-game, zero-sack performance left much to be desired. With the Browns, Clowney would replace Olivier Vernon to play opposite of Myles Garrett.
Before they circled back to Clowney, the Browns also pursued J.J. Watt in free agency. They lost out on Watt, but they did add former first-round pick Takkarist McKinley as well as Malik Jackson though Jackson is expected to play more on the interior.
Colts Sign S Sean Davis
The Colts have signed safety Sean Davis to a one-year deal, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). Exact terms of the deal are not yet known. 
[RELATED: Retired Andrew Luck “Having The Time Of His Life”]
The Steelers drafted Davis in the second round in 2016, and he spent his first four years in Pittsburgh. That stretch included 31 starts between 2017-18, but he missed almost all of 2019 due to injury. In 2020, he inked a one-year deal worth $5MM with the Washington Football Team. Then, after cuts, he found his way back to Pittsburgh.
Davis was primarily used on special teams last season, but he may have an opportunity to get more traditional safety work, depending on how the rest of the offseason shakes out. Safety Malik Hooker, who is returning from an Achilles tear, is out of contract. The Colts have also lost Tavon Wilson from last year’s secondary — he recently joined up with the Niners.
With Terrell Edmunds and Minkah Fitzpatrick playing in front of him, Davis finished 2020 with just 12 tackles and one pass defensed.
Colts’ T.Y. Hilton: Retired Andrew Luck “Having The Time Of His Life”
Andrew Luck is “having the time of his life” and he’s never felt like this before, longtime teammate T.Y. Hilton says (Twitter link via Stephen Holder of The Athletic). Hilton’s comments are just the latest indication that Luck will not be returning to the NFL, despite the constant speculation about his plans. 
Luck, who won’t turn 32 until the fall, shocked the world when he retired just before the start of the 2019 season. He was just 29 at the time, but he felt that he could no longer play through the pain of his injuries. Ever since, fans have been wondering if the former No. 1 overall pick could have a change of heart,
“He knows we would love to have him back,’’ owner Jim Irsay said earlier this year. “But only he can answer that question deep in his heart and his soul: ‘Hey, do I really want to come back and be a quarterback for the Colts again in the NFL?’ It’s easy for us. He knows how much we’d love to have him be our quarterback…He knows that he can come back anytime he wants, but at the same time we respect he’s made that decision.’’
Meanwhile, Hilton is on the verge of his 32nd birthday in April. He recently re-signed with the Colts on a one-year deal and acknowledges that it could be his last NFL contract.
“[I] probably need to stop talking to [Luck] so much,” Hilton said. “He might make me retire. He’s making me kind of jealous.”
Colts To Meet With Sean Davis
Free agent safety Sean Davis is meeting with the Colts today (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter). This marks Davis’ second-known visit in the last week, following his trip to Buffalo.
Davis has only suited up for the Steelers over the last five years, but he was initially set to play for Washington last year. After a summer injury, WFT released him, leading him back to Pittsburgh. Davis mostly came off the bench for the Steelers last year, tallying 12 stops and one fumble recovery. For his career, Davis has 64 appearances (32 starts) to his credit with 259 tackles, five interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and 2.5 sacks.
The Colts could use some more bodies in their secondary with Tavon Wilson out of the picture and Malik Hooker in free agent limbo. As it stands, their secondary has little outside of Julian Blackmon, Khari Willis, and George Odum. If signed, Davis could see a decent number of snaps, as opposed to last year when he saw most of his time on special teams.
Colts To Sign Chris Reed
The Colts have agreed to sign Chris Reed to a one-year veteran benefit deal (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero). Reed, who started in 14 games for the Panthers last year, gives the Colts another experienced option on the offensive line. 
Reed joined the Panthers towards the end of the 2019 season, after he was dropped by the Panthers. He worked as Carolina’s left guard in 2020, earning a so-so 63.0 overall grade from Pro Football Focus for his 892 snaps. He fared better in 2019 with a 70.3 grade, though that came in a very limited sample of 106 snaps.
Reed joins fellow vets Sam Tevi and Julien Davenport in Indianapolis, providing reinforcements to a group that was battered by injuries last year. Although their starters were among the best in the league, their reserves left something to be desired while tackles Anthony Castonzo and Braden Smith were sidelined. Now, they’re without Castonzo altogether following his January retirement.
Colts To Re-Sign DL Al-Quadin Muhammad
The Colts are bringing back one of their rotational defensive linemen. They agreed to terms with Al-Quadin Muhammad on a one-year deal, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
Muhammad’s second NFL contract will be worth $3.4MM, according to agent Drew Rosenhaus. He has played with the Colts for the past three seasons, after initially joining the team as a waiver claim in September 2018.
Part of the Saints’ standout 2017 draft haul, Muhammad played one season with New Orleans but has made his mark in Indianapolis. He played a career-high 56% of the Colts’ defensive snaps last season and has recorded five sacks over the past two years.
This move comes after Denico Autry‘s free agency defection to Tennessee. The Colts still have questions on their defensive front, with top edge rusher Justin Houston still unsigned and the team short on proven sack artists, Muhammad has been a key rotational presence throughout defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus‘ tenure.
Colts Work Out TE Jeremy Sprinkle
- Frank Reich loves to feature tight ends heavily in his offense, so it might not surprise you to learn the Colts are covering all their bases at the position. Indy had free agent Jeremy Sprinkle in for a workout on Monday, Pelissero tweets. A fifth-round pick out of Arkansas in 2017, Sprinkle made a bit of noise with Washington in 2019 when he had 26 catches for 241 yards and a touchdown. This past season he appeared in all 16 games and played on over 20 percent of the snaps, but was mostly used as a blocker and only caught one pass.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/29/21
Today’s minor moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: G Josh Andrews
Cleveland Browns
- Re-signed: CB Brian Allen
Indianapolis Colts
- Re-signed: C Joey Hunt
Washington Football Team
- Re-signed: T David Sharpe