March 4, 2026, 8:05 a.m. ET<\/p>\n
With NFL free agency on the horizon, let’s predict which of the Indianapolis Colts<\/a> top 12 unrestricted free agents<\/a> stay and which ones sign elsewhere.<\/p>\n Before free agency arrives, however, the\u00a0Colts<\/a>\u00a0have some work to do with the salary cap. After using the transition tag on\u00a0Daniel Jones<\/a>, Indianapolis is now over the salary cap. Chris Ballard will have to\u00a0create some operating room<\/a>\u00a0in the coming days.<\/p>\n The NFL’s legal tampering period opens on March 9th, and then on March 11th, free agency officially opens.<\/p>\n Now, let’s make our final free agency predictions.<\/p>\n QB Daniel Jones<\/p>\n The Colts<\/a> placed the transition tag on Jones<\/a>. He is able to negotiate with other teams, but the Colts will have the chance to match any offer. With Ballard needing to produce a playoff team this season, he has no choice but to pay Jones, given the team’s quarterback situation. Stay.<\/p>\n Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.<\/a>WR Alec Pierce<\/p>\n By tagging Jones, Pierce has a lot more leverage now and is able to test the free agent market<\/a> if he’d like. Ballard is going down a risky path<\/a>, but I’ll choose to believe that the Colts retain Pierce and don’t let him sign elsewhere. Stay.<\/p>\n OT Braden Smith<\/p>\n Jalen Travis showed he can be a capable starter. Just last year, the Colts moved on from Ryan Kelly and Will Fries in favor of second-year players Tanor Bortolini and Matt Goncalves. They could take a similar approach with Smith. Go.<\/p>\n DE Kwity Paye, Samson Ebukam, Tyquan Lewis<\/p>\n I’m going to lump these three together. This position group has to be reshaped this offseason. More pass rush juice is needed, and Ballard has also mentioned the need to get younger and faster on defense, along with wanting to prioritize the front seven<\/a> this offseason.\u00a0Go.<\/p>\n DT Neville Gallimore<\/p>\n Flip a coin on this one. I think Gallimore showed enough this past year as a rotational defender, and he won’t break the bank by any means to bring back. But again, referencing Ballard’s comments above about the defense, I think the Colts go in a different direction. Go.<\/p>\n TE Mo Alie-Cox<\/p>\n Alie-Cox provides the offense with a very steady presence as a blocker in an offense that uses its share of two tight end sets under Shane Steichen. We know the role Alie-Cox will fill and that he’ll do so reliably. Stay.<\/p>\n LB Germaine Pratt<\/p>\n The Colts need a greater coverage presence at linebacker. And not to be repetitive, but with Ballard wanting to get younger and faster within the defensive front seven, I think the Colts go in a different direction at linebacker. Go.<\/p>\n S Nick Cross<\/p>\n The Colts invested in the safety position last offseason by signing Cam Bynum. I think Cross gets more money elsewhere.\u00a0Go.<\/p>\n IOL Danny Pinter<\/p>\n