Colts Sign Ross Travis To Extension
The Colts signed Ross Travis to a one-year contract extension, the club announced. Travis, a 6’6″, 248-pound tight end, will earn the minimum of $720K in 2019. 
Travis was claimed by the Colts off waivers from the Chiefs in November of 2017. Unfortunately, an ACL tear in the final week of the 2018 preseason sidelined him for all of last year.
With the Chiefs in 2017, Travis appeared in eleven games (three starts) and reeled in five catches for 34 yards. He added a couple grabs of grabs with the Colts in four games, but was not frequently targeted in the offense.
Travis’ contract doesn’t grant him a ton of job security, but he’ll have an opportunity to compete for a backup tight end role behind Eric Ebron and Jack Doyle. Mo Alie-Cox and Billy Brown are also in the mix for reserve TE spots and there should be more candidates on the team’s 90-man roster this summer.
Poll: Where Will Le’Veon Bell Sign This Offseason?
We got confirmation a few days ago that the Steelers won’t attempt to tag and trade Le’Veon Bell, and will let him walk as a free agent. Bell, of course, sat out the entire 2018 season over his contract dispute with Pittsburgh, and we heard just yesterday that he’s seeking a total of $50MM over the first two years of a new deal from salary and signing bonuses.
It’s unclear if Bell will be able to get the huge payday he wants, but he’ll still have a very active market either way with no shortage of suitors. Today, we’ll be taking a look at his most likely destinations.
The Jets have been widely seen as the frontrunner for a while, and will have plenty of cap space available. GM Mike Maccagnan has been signaling for months now that the team will be aggressive in free agency, so New York would seem to be a good fit. It’s already been reported that they won’t be bringing back Isaiah Crowell, so they’ll have a void at running back. Bell would be a nice weapon and safety blanket for Sam Darnold in the passing game. That being said, the Jets apparently have some concern about Bell’s weight and conditioning. Still, the fact that they’re even concerned implies they’re interested.
The Colts have also been linked to Bell for a while now. Coming into the 2018 season they seemed to have a hole at running back, but Marlon Mack performed very well down the stretch. Mack’s emergence could take the team out of the Bell sweepstakes, but they’ll still have a lot of money to spend and could really use better options for Andrew Luck in the passing game aside from T.Y. Hilton.
The Buccaneers are another team that has been frequently mentioned in conjunction with Bell, and are sorely lacking at running back. Last year’s second round pick Ronald Jones didn’t do anything, and Peyton Barber isn’t a viable featured back. New coach Bruce Arians loves to be aggressive, and pursuing a player like Bell would fit him. The Buccaneers are stacked at wide receiver and tight end, and adding Bell would make them one of the most talented offenses in the league.
The Eagles are another playoff-contending team that is missing a featured back, and Bell staying in the state of Pennsylvania has been picking up some steam recently. Darren Sproles is 35 and not much of a runner, Jay Ajayi can never seem to stay healthy, and the young guys behind them have been very inconsistent. The Eagles’ front office is one of the most aggressive in the league, so them making an offer for Bell wouldn’t be at all surprising. Daryl Slater of NJ.com recently listed the Eagles as among his likeliest destinations for Bell.
So, what do you think? Where will Bell end up next season after his year out of the league? Vote in PFR’s latest poll (link for app users) and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!
Where Will Le'Veon Bell Sign This Offseason?
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Jets 31% (1,269)
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Other 24% (983)
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Colts 19% (777)
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Eagles 16% (682)
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Buccaneers 11% (436)
Total votes: 4,147
NFL Awards Compensatory Draft Picks
The NFL has awarded compensatory draft picks to several teams, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The full rundown, which is below, includes two third-round picks for both the Rams and Patriots.
The NFL awards compensatory draft picks to teams, as directed by the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The compensatory pick system provides additional picks to teams who lose more/better qualifying free agents in the previous year than gained. As the NFL explains:
“Compensatory free agents are determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors. The formula was developed by the NFL Management Council. Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by this formula. No club may receive more than four compensatory picks in any one year. If a club qualifies for more than four compensatory picks after offsetting each CFA lost by each CFA gained of an equal or higher value, the four highest remaining selections will be awarded to the club.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement limits the number of compensatory selections to the number of clubs then in the League (32). This year, six clubs: the Ravens, Bengals, Colts, Rams, Giants, and 49ers qualified for compensatory selections under the net loss formula but will not receive those picks because the final numerical values of the CFAs who were lost by those clubs ranked 33rd through 39thamong the final numerical values of all compensatory selections. Each of those six clubs will receive compensatory selections for other CFAs lost whose final numerical values ranked within the top 32. “
Third Round
- (No. 33 in third round-No. 96 overall) Redskins
- 34-97 Patriots
- 35-98 Rams
- 36-99 Rams
- 37-100 Panthers
- 38-101 Patriots
- 39-102 Ravens
OL Matt Slauson Turns Down Spot On Colts Coaching Staff
- Recently retired offensive lineman Matt Slauson turned down a coaching job with the Colts, SiriusXM’s Alex Marvez tweets. Marvez notes Slauson said he wants to spend more time with his family following his nine-year run in the NFL but left open the possibility of entering the coaching ranks at a later date. In 2018, the right guard made five starts with Indianapolis.
Colts Waive QB Brad Kaaya
The Colts waived quarterback Brad Kaaya, according to a team announcement. He’ll now be free to sign with any team of his choosing. 
Kaaya, 24 in September, was once viewed as the potential first overall pick in the 2017 draft, but ended up falling to the sixth round after an inconsistent final season at Miami. Since being selected by the Lions, Kaaya has bounced around the NFL via waiver claims and free agent deals, spending time with the Panthers, the Lions (again), and — most recently — the Colts. He’s yet to appear in an NFL game.
Last year, the Colts waived/injured Kaaya prior to the start of the season. When he went unclaimed, he reverted back to the Colts’ IR.
For now, the Colts will focus on a QB depth chart headlined by Andrew Luck and trade candidate Jacoby Brissett.
Colts Add Howard Mudd To Staff
The Colts have hired legendary offensive line coach Howard Mudd as a senior offensive assistant, the club announced today. Additionally, Indianapolis has promoted Marcus Brady to quarterbacks coach and hired Klayton Adams as an assistant offensive line coach.
Mudd, 76, coached NFL offensive lines from 1974-2012, but his longest run with a single team came with the Colts from 1998-2009. During the end of that tenure, Mudd worked with current Indianapolis head coach Frank Reich, who at the time was an offensive assistant and quarterbacks coach on the Colts staff. Mudd originally announced his retirement following his Colts days, but was coaxed back into coaching the Eagles’ front five from 2011-12.
Indianapolis’ offensive line experienced a dramatic turnaround in 2018: the unit gave up a league-low 18 sacks, and ranked as a top-four group in Football Outsiders‘ pass-blocking and run-blocking metrics. Nevertheless, the Colts still opted to fire offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo and replace him with former Broncos staffer Chris Strausser.
Colts’ Matt Slauson Announces Retirement
Colts guard Matt Slauson is hanging ’em up. On Wednesday, the veteran took to Instagram to announce his retirement from the NFL. 
“It has been ten amazing years,” Slauson wrote. “Four organizations and countless friendships. What an amazing dream this has all been. Thanks to all my teammates who have gone into battle with me, the group of coaches that have made me better on and off the field, the fans that were there no matter what, and especially my wife and kids who supported me through it all. It has been a very difficult decision but we are excited for what the next chapter holds.”
Over the course of nine seasons, Slauson suited up for the Jets, Bears, Chargers, and Colts. Last year, he appeared in five games – all starts – for Indianapolis. His season ended in October when he suffered a scary back injury.
Somehow, even without Slauson, the Colts’ offensive line was exceptional in 2018. The Colts went five straight games in the fall without allowing Andrew Luck to get sacked even once. The streak lasted until Week 12 when Dolphins pass rusher Cameron Wake got to the QB.
The Colts signed Slauson to a one-year, $3MM deal last offseason. He moved into their starting lineup opposite first-rounder Quenton Nelson and played well: both guards graded as top-30 players, in the view of Pro Football Focus, through the first five games of the year.
Le'Veon Bell Still Interested In Colts?
- Armed with nearly $100MM in cap space and a GM potentially on the hot seat, the Jets make sense as Le’Veon Bell‘s buyer. While one report indicated New York won’t use a bank-breaking approach to land the All-Pro running back, SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano notes the Jets are still zeroed in on Bell. The soon-to-be 27-year-old back is still believed to prefer the Colts, per Vacchiano, but Indianapolis may not view him in the same light.
AFC Notes: Broncos, Lock, Texans, Colts, Vinatieri, Assistant Coaches
The 2019 NFL Draft is less than three months away, with the combine right around the corner. Draft buzz is starting to heat up, and one team in a particularly interesting situation is the Broncos. Denver has the tenth overall pick, and has been looking for a new franchise quarterback ever since Peyton Manning retired. While the team has Case Keenum under contract for one more year, it seems like there’s a very good chance the Broncos take a quarterback early yet again.
Adding fuel to that fire, Mark Kiszla of The Denver Post hears that Broncos GM John Elway is “smitten” with Missouri signal caller Drew Lock, and that Elway’s infatuation with the quarterback was “the worst-kept secret at the Senior Bowl.” Lock seems like a real possibility to go to the Broncos at ten, and could be the first quarterback taken if Dwayne Haskins slips a little bit. If the Broncos do draft a quarterback, they could get out of Keenum’s contract relatively easily, or choose to keep him on for one year as a bridge quarterback/mentor.
Here’s more from the AFC:
- The Texans made a front office move today, bringing in former Jets executive Clay Hampton to be their new director of football operations, according to John McClain of the Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). McClain notes that Hampton was in the Jets’ front office for 17 years, working his way up from being a ball boy to become their director of football operations. McClain also writes that Hampton will report directly to GM Brian Gaine who worked for the Jets at the same time as Hampton.
- Adam Vinatieri officially signed on for a 24th season a few days ago, and now we have the details on his new contract with the Colts. Vinatieri signed a one-year $3.875MM deal, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link). Vinatieri turned 46 in December but showed no signs of slowing down this season, even though he did miss two kicks in Indianapolis’ divisional round playoff loss to the Chiefs.
- Speaking of the Colts, the team made a couple of new additions to Frank Reich’s staff today. They hired Jason Michael as their tight ends coach and Chris Strausser as their offensive line coach, the team announced in a tweet. The Colts’ offensive line had an amazing turn around in 2018, but they fired Dave DeGuglielmo after the season so Reich could bring in one of his own guys, and he apparently settled on Strausser, who was with the Broncos last season. Strausser reportedly was also drawing interest from the Browns.
Colts Sign Mark Glowinski To Extension
The Colts didn’t want to let Mark Glowinski get away. On Tuesday, the Colts formally signed the guard to a brand new extension, according to a team announcement. It’s a three-year deal worth $18MM, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. 
The Colts claimed the 6’4″ lineman off waivers from the Seahawks towards the end of the 2017 season and he found a role with the club in 2018. Last year, he appeared in eleven games (nine starts) at right guard and finished out as the No. 17 ranked guard in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus.
On the whole, the Colts’ offensive line enjoyed a major turnaround in 2018. The unit allowed the fewest sacks in the league (18) and even went six straight games without allowing Andrew Luck to be put on his back. The Colts dumped offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo earlier this month, but the return of Glowinski should help a bit to keep things consistent.