{"id":743782,"date":"2026-02-11T01:59:16","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T01:59:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/743782\/"},"modified":"2026-02-11T01:59:16","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T01:59:16","slug":"colts-must-not-forget-about-nick-cross","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/743782\/","title":{"rendered":"Colts Must Not Forget About Nick Cross"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Indianapolis Colts<\/a> are over a month into their offseason, but they’ve yet to make any moves. There was speculation that they could lose a coordinator, but after a long hiring cycle, the Colts will retain their coaching staff for another year.<\/p>\n

Looking at the roster, the Colts have a few standout players set to hit the open market this spring. The most talked about names have been quarterback Daniel Jones and wide receiver Alec Pierce, who are expected to be highly coveted by quarterback and receiver-needy teams. <\/p>\n

On the other side of the ball, there’s been a player many people haven’t been talking about: safety Nick Cross. After another solid season, Cross needs a new deal. The former third-round pick has started all 17 games for the Colts over the past two seasons.<\/p>\n

\"Nick<\/p>\n

Dec 22, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts safety Nick Cross (20) tackles San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (23) in the third quarter of the game at Lucas Oil Stadium. | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

In his first season under defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo, Cross tallied 120 total tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, an interception, and a forced fumble. According to Pro Football Focus<\/a>, Cross ranked first among all strong safeties with 97 solo tackles and second among all strong safeties with 16 pressures. <\/p>\n

At the same time, PFF credits Cross with 50 receptions allowed, the fourth most among all strong safeties. The young star still has a lot to learn, but he could be in line for a hefty contract. ESPN’s Aaron Schatz<\/a> made a big prediction for each team, and for the Colts, he predicted that Cross would receive a big contract. <\/p>\n

“The Colts will give a big extension to 25-year-old safety Nick Cross,” Schatz wrote. “He did well in my coverage DVOA metric and was involved in 14.0% of Colts defensive plays, fourth among safeties in 2025. His average run tackle came after a gain of just 4.3 yards (ranked third among safeties with at least 20 run tackles).”<\/p>\n

Sign Up For the Colts Daily Digest – OnSI\u2019s Indianapolis Colts Newsletter<\/a><\/p>\n

In the NFL, safety is a position you can get for cheap. The highest-paid safety in the league is Kyle Hamilton, who is making $25 million a year. Cross’ teammate, Cam Bynum, makes $15 million annually. <\/p>\n

Should the Cols re-sign Nick Cross?<\/p>\n

\ud83d\udd35 322 total tackles in four seasons
\ud83d\udd35 3.5 sacks, 5 interceptions
\ud83d\udd35 Spotrac projection: $24.3M \/ 4 years pic.twitter.com\/RtaS4ITqwl<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 SleeperColts (@SleeperColts) February 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

If the Colts want to use the franchise tag on Cross, they could, but it’s an unrealistic price. That would cost around $20 million, but it would ensure that Cross stays another season. <\/p>\n

Realistically, he could sign a deal similar to Bynum’s, maybe a bit cheaper. That would put him within the top 15 highest-paid safeties, a fair price tag for a player who hasn’t become a superstar just yet. <\/p>\n

The Colts’ main priorities will be to bring back Jones and Pierce. Their contracts will cost more, but once they get that sorted out, they can focus on Cross with the remaining money.<\/p>\n

Chris Ballard loves to bring back guys he’s drafted, though it’s only been a year since the team moved on from Julian Blackmon, who was also a third-round pick. If Indy doesn’t bring back cross, they’ll need help at safety elsewhere in free agency or in the draft. <\/p>\n

We’ll see if the Colts get a deal done before free agency opens on March 9. <\/p>\n

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