he second Tuesday of March has in the past several years become as important a date in the National Football League year as the college draft and the opening of training camp. That’s because it’s the date in which teams may begin to sign veteran free agents. Negotiations with individual players are not supposed to begin until this date, but player agents and team general mangers are often in “unofficial” talks beforehand. The Colts had more than $36 million of salary cap money in which to offer players in contracts and were among the more active teams in free agency this year. The team had several players targeted that they were hoping to sign, but they also had a number of players on the roster that they chose not to resign. The best known among these players was Reggie Wayne. After 14 seasons of service with the Horseshoe, the venerated wideout will no longer be wearing the number 87 for the team. Wayne caught 64 passes for 779 yards and two touchdowns last year. More than that, he has been a mentor to Andrew Luck and a team leader who has helped the Colts players stay calm and focused. However, his age, 36, and the fact that he has suffered some debilitating injuries in the last two seasons, led Reggie to contemplate retirement and forced the Colts to consider other alternatives at wide receiver. Also gone is Trent Richardson, the runningback whose lack of production was a thorn in the side of the Colts running game for two seasons after being acquired from the Cleveland Browns for the team’s 2014 number one draft pick. Richardson quickly came to symbolize a deal that has been called the worst move in franchise history and fans came to despise him. Richardson had been due $3 million for the 2015 season, but had been suspended for violating some team rules at the end of last season and didn’t appear in the playoff games last year. It was the Colts’ position that Richardson had violated the terms of his contract and therefore had forfeited any money due him, and his release had been expected. The NFL Players Association has filed a grievance with the League Office on Richardson’s behalf, stating that the suspension was not deserved and was manufactured by the Colts as an attempt to cheat Richardson out of his salary and asked that the Colts be required to pay the runningback all monies due him. The issue has not yet been decided. Safety LaRon Landry was released after drawing another ten game suspension for using illegal performance enhancing drugs. Landry’s NFL future is in serious doubt.
Okay, so who are the major signings for the Big Blue? Well, 5’ 9”, 217 pound runningback Frank Gore is at the top of the list. The former San Francisco 49er is the type of inside power runningback that offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton covets for his offensive scheme. Andrew Luck will welcome his blocking and receiving abilities as well. The downside? Gore is 31 and will be playing his 11th season and has 2,784 career touches in ten seasons. The Colts signed Gore to a three year deal and hope that he still has something left in the tank. Wide receiver Andre Johnson was signed after being released by division rival the Houston Texans. Johnson is 33 and will be entering this 13th NFL season. In his prime, Johnson was that rare combination of size, speed, strength, and determination. The speed isn’t there anymore but Johnson still has the size, strength, and hands to make those short- to medium-range catches across the middle and on the sidelines. He is also working with a top tier quarterback for the first time in his career. He will become a favorite Andrew Luck target. Pass rushing linebacker Trent Cole was acquired after an 11 year stint with the Philadelphia Eagles. Cole has come to the Colts to man the right outside linebacker spot, hopefully opposite a fully recovered Robert Mathis. Cole has been a very durable player during his career and the Colts hope this continues in 2015. Also from the Eagles is offensive lineman Todd Herremans. Signed to a one year deal, Herremans is an 11 year veteran who can play right tackle or right guard. He will probably move into the right guard position. Former St. Louis Ram defensive lineman Kendall Langford was signed to help beef up the defensive line. He’s considered a solid, if not outstanding, performer who will help in the rotation.
Free safety Mike Adams was resigned to a two year deal after being a pleasant surprise last season. In his tenth season, Adams was signed at the last minute to play free safety for the Horseshoe and gave the team a career year with a team-leading five interceptions and 106 total tackles. Adams was named to the Pro Bowl. His presence will be a plus in the defensive backfield. Fan favorite Joe Reitz was resigned to a three year contract extension. The versatile offensive lineman has found a home at right tackle.
Two players whose loss will be felt are defensive end Cory Redding and center/guard A. Q. Shipley. Both went to the Arizona Cardinals. Redding came to the Colts in 2012 and was a disruptive force and locker room leader. Redding wanted a three year deal but at age 34 and in what will be his 13th season, the Colts didn’t feel that they could afford it. Safety Sergio Brown left for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Brown was a solid tackler but got beat in some big plays, particularly in the Pittsburgh game. His lack of pass defending skills were a liability in the deep secondary. Offensive linemen Lance Louis and Gosder Cherilus have both been released. Neither was overly effective last season.
There will be much more player movement between now and the start of preseason. The Colts team is always a work in progress. There was a strong attempt to acquire nose tackle Vince Wilfork after he was released from the New England Patriots. He had been a college teammate of both Andre Johnson and Frank Gore at the University of Miami and they tried to convince him to join the Colts. He received a little better financial deal from the Houston Texans, so they will be seeing their old friend at least twice a season for the next three years.
A Surprising Retirement for the San Francisco 49ers
The off season has been brutal for the 49ers. Losing head coach Jim Harbaugh to the University of Michigan, All Pro right offensive guard Mike Iupati in free agency to the Arizona Cardinals, and losing Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis to a medical retirement due to concussion issues have been blows. However, the latest news concerning a key player really hits hard. Second year linebacker Chris Borland has announced his retirement after a single season of NFL play due to injury concerns. Borland was a third round pick of the 49ers after a solid college career at the University of Wisconsin. Borland started eight games racked up 107 tackles and posted a sack. He was being counted on to be a key player in the 49er defense. Borland has suffered two concussions in his playing career and decided that the chance of possible permanent head trauma is too great a risk to take to stay in the NFL. This attitude is something few professional athletes take. Chris Borland is obviously a wiser and much more sensible person then the average NFL player.
snicewanger@yahoo.com