Indianapolis Colts Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

CB Jerraud Powers Announces Retirement

April 13th, 2017 at 8:47pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cornerback Jerraud Powers intends to retire from the NFL following an eight-year career, as Powers himself announced on Instagram.

“With the 2017 season getting started and teams are preparing to be the best they can be, I think it’s time for me to walk away from the game,” Powers writes. “The last 8 years have been a joy and wonderful ride. Even though I can still compete and play at a high level, mentally, I’m ready for the next chapter of my life.”

As Powers alludes to, he almost certainly would have found a job at some point despite not having been linked to any teams thus far during the free agent period. In 2016, Powers appeared in 13 games for the Ravens (six starts), posting two interceptions and five passes defensed while grading as the league’s No. 67 cornerback, according to Pro Football Focus. PFR, meanwhile, ranked Powers as the sixth-best corner still available on the market.

Instead, Powers will hang up his cleats three months before he turns 30 years old. Originally a third-round pick, Powers played for the Colts and Cardinals before joining Baltimore on a one-year deal prior to 2016. All told, Powers played in 100 NFL games (88 starts), put up 13 interceptions, and scored one touchdown.

Colts Sign DT Johnathan Hankins

April 13th, 2017 at 12:48pm CST by Zachary Links

The Colts have taken the top remaining free agent off of the board. Johnathan Hankins has agreed to terms on a three-year deal worth up to $30MM, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The defensive tackle gets $10.5MM in the first year with $15.9MM guaranteed overall. Of course, further details on the deal’s cash flow will give us a better grip on the contract’s true value.

Hankins made the deal official (Twitter link).

The incumbent Giants had a four-year, $28MM proposal on the table for Hankins. On the surface, it seems like he got significantly more from Indianapolis. If he serves the complete term of the deal, he’ll be eligible for free agency again at age 28. Depending on how he performs, that could set him up for a massive multi-year payday in the future. In the interim, he netted a decent sized multi-year deal at a time when it seemed like he might have to settle for a one-year pact.

In terms of per year average, Hankins’ deal puts him eighth amongst all 4-3 defensive tackles, behind Ndamukong Suh, Fletcher Cox, Calais Campbell, Malik Jackson, Gerald McCoy, Michael Brockers, and Geno Atkins. The Giants were looking to pay him like Nick Fairley (four years, $28MM with $14MM guaranteed), but he went one level up while taking a bit less in per-year guarantees.

After finishing dead last in DVOA in 2016, the Colts were determined to improve the defensive line. After acquiring Hankins, Jabaal Sheard, Sean Spence, John Simon, Barkevious Mingo, and others, the Colts are certainly in better shape.

Meanwhile, the Giants will have to figure out a way to replace the 25-year-old. At this point, the best free agent interior linemen are long gone and the draft doesn’t offer a ton of high end defensive tackles. Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen is projected to come off of the board well before the Giants’ turn at the podium and that leaves second-tier guys like Malik McDowell (Michigan State), Caleb Brantley (Florida), and Larry Ogunjobi (Charlotte) and not all of those players are scheme fits for the G-Men. On the open market, Jared Odrick stands as the best available DT.

Colts Unlikely To Sign Johnathan Hankins

April 12th, 2017 at 4:21pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Free agent Johnathan Hankins‘ visit to the Colts on Tuesday didn’t lead to a deal, as the defensive tackle left town without agreeing to a contract, reports Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. It doesn’t appear the two sides will eventually find common ground, either, according to Holder.

Although Hankins has been on the market for over a month, he continues to hold out for more than teams are interested in paying. That includes the Colts, who are unwilling to meet Hankins’ demands despite having over $30MM in cap space. Hankins hasn’t exactly encountered a robust market for his services this offseason; the only reported offer to come his way has been from the Giants, with whom he spent the first four seasons of his career. That proposal has been on the table for the 25-year-old since before free agency began, and the Giants continue holding out hope he’ll accept it.

As for the Colts, they’re likely to focus a good deal of attention on the D-line in the draft if nothing materializes with Hankins, per Holder. After finishing 2016 last in the NFL in DVOA against the run, the Colts’ only notable acquisition along the line this offseason has been Jabaal Sheard. They could look to further bolster the unit with the 15th overall pick, then.

Six Teams To Meet With Mo Alie-Cox

April 12th, 2017 at 9:46am CST by Zachary Links

The jump from basketball to football may not be easy, but Mo Alie-Cox has plenty of believers in the NFL. The former Virginia Commonwealth University forward is already slated to visit the Chiefs, Buccaneers, Jets, Colts, Seahawks, and Chargers, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. More teams could request to meet with the 6’7″ athlete, Rapoport adds.

Alie-Cox held an open audition for NFL teams recently and it seems like more than half the league had scouts in attendance. In addition to the aforementioned clubs, reps from the Bears, Lions, Dolphins, Vikings, 49ers, Browns, Patriots, Redskins, and Steelers were in the house (via Lane Casadonte of WTVR on Twitter).

Despite his lack of gridiron experience, teams are intrigued by Alie-Cox’s combination of size and athleticism. He is looking to play tight end and follow in the footsteps of Tony Gonzalez, Julius Thomas, Jimmy Graham, Antonio Gates, and other TE standouts with basketball backgrounds. At the same time, he is open to playing other positions and he took requests from scouts to perform drills that were suited for different roles.

What really sets Alie-Cox apart from other young NFL hopefuls is that he is not draft eligible and, therefore, can be signed as a free agent. A team that is really high on the hoopster could see this as an opportunity to effectively acquire a late-round draft pick for nothing.

Colts Notes: Foster, Jones

April 11th, 2017 at 7:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster has set up a busy predraft schedule, as he’s scheduled to meet with the Colts, Bengals, Lions, Titans, and Ravens, according to Josh Norris of Rotoworld (Twitter link). Foster has already met with a number of clubs, and his packed itinerary is unsurprising given that he’s considered the top off-ball linebacker in the 2017 draft. He will combine medical re-checks this week following shoulder surgery, but has already shown full range of motion, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link).
North Carolina State safety Josh Jones is drawing the interest of multiple teams, reports Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press (Twitter link). Clubs are digging deep: the Rams have visited Jones’ high school, while the Colts and Cardinals both contacted the high school to ask about Jones. Thus far, Jones has also been linked to Baltimore, Miami, Tennessee, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Chicago.

Colts Host Johnathan Hankins On Visit

April 11th, 2017 at 3:46pm CST by Zachary Links

One month after the start of free agency, Johnathan Hankins remains on the open market. It’s possible that we could see the defensive tackle – finally – find his NFL home. Hankins visited the Colts on Tuesday, according to a source who spoke with ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter).

The Colts, we presume, are the previously reported “mystery club” that jumped in the mix for Hankins. The 25-year-old is the best free agent still left on the board, but his market has developed at a snail’s pace. Today’s Colts meeting is his first visit of this free agent cycle.

Hankins is PFR’s best free agent interior defender left on the board and would give the Colts’ D-Line a major boost after the free agent departure of Zach Kerr. The Colts have upwards of $30MM in cap space, per Over The Cap, so the room to sign Hankins should certainly be there. The defensive tackle had visions of a monster multi-year deal when free agency opened, but at this point he might be willing/forced to settle for a reasonably-priced one-year deal.

So far the Dolphins and the incumbent Giants are the only teams known to have been in communication with Hankins. The Dolphins seem unwilling to commit big dollars to him, however, and the Giants will only go so far to retain him.

Colts To Host Garett Bolles

April 8th, 2017 at 8:32pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Utah offensive tackle Garett Bolles has meetings scheduled with the Colts and Chargers, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com. Bolles, who has also visited the Giants, is in the running to become the first offensive lineman off the board later this month. While he posted excellent measurables, Bolles is already 25 years old, which could limit any future growth. While Bolles could conceivably go to Los Angeles within the top 10, the Chargers have already made Russell Okung the NFL’s highest-paid tackle this offseason. Indianapolis, likewise, has a long-term extension in place with blindside protector Anthony Castonzo. In PFR’s first mock draft, we sent Bolles to Denver at pick No. 20.

Wells: Colts Unlikely To Trade For Sherman

April 8th, 2017 at 4:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Don’t count on the Jaguars or Colts trading for Richard Sherman, offer ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco and Mike Wells. As much as the team has prioritized impact defenders in recent years, the Jaguars just authorized two mega-contracts for A.J. Bouye and Calais Campbell and have the promising Jalen Ramsey. The Colts are in need of a starter alongside Vontae Davis, but Wells points to Chris Ballard wanting to build this operation through the draft rather than give up multiple picks for Sherman. DiRocco believes it will take a first-round selection and another mid-range pick to pry Sherman from the Seahawks. Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports Seattle seeks a high pick and a “very good player” in exchange for the 29-year-old Sherman.

Colts Notes: Allen Trade, Draft

March 30th, 2017 at 4:47pm CST by Zachary Links

At its core, the Dwayne Allen trade was about accountability for the Colts, Stephen Holder of the Indy Star writes, but there was more to it. Allen didn’t always live up to his contract, but beyond that, dealing him to the Patriots was also about creating more opportunities for tight ends Jack Doyle and Erik Swoope. “Look, Dwayne Allen was a great pro and a good guy,” GM Chris Ballard said. “That was a really hard decision to make because he’s a great person. But sometimes to let a player take another step, you have to move on from a guy. And I think Swoope’s got a lot of talent. We’ll see. I thought we saw signs of progression last year that were exciting to see. He’s got to take another step. And we’ll see if he does it or not.”
Speaking of the Colts, they “will not be timid about moving around in the draft,” according to Ballard, who doesn’t believe the team has enough picks. The Colts are slated to pick seven times, including 15th overall, and “wouldn’t hesitate to trade down” because “that would be something that we think could really benefit us,” Ballard told Kevin Bowen of the team’s website.

Colts Notes: RBs, QBs

March 28th, 2017 at 5:53pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Colts head coach Chuck Pagano believes bringing in a young running back is “paramount,” per Kevin Bowen of Colts.com (Twitter link). Indianapolis’ backfield is currently composed of Frank Gore, who is entering his age-34 season, and 27-year-old Robert Turbin, who was recently re-signed on a two-year deal. Backs that could be available when the Colts are on the board at pick No. 15 include Leonard Fournette, Dalvin Cook, Alvin Kamara, and Christian McCaffrey.

Although the Colts will likely sign a fourth quarterback in the coming weeks, that shouldn’t be taken as a sign the club is worried about Andrew Luck‘s health, tweets Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star. New general manager Chris Ballard simply is accustomed to keeping four signal-callers on the offseason roster, a strategy the Chiefs employed when Ballard worked in Kansas City. At present, Indianapolis has Luck, Scott Tolzien, and Stephen Morris under contract.
Free agent linebacker Erik Walden fired agent Todd France three days after meeting with the Titans earlier this month, according to Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com, who adds Walden has not yet found new representation. Walden’s visit with Tennessee is the only known meeting he’s taken so far this offseason after the Colts informed him he wouldn’t be retained. PFR ranks Walden as the sixth-best edge defender remaining on the board.

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